Secrets of the Past
by White Winter-Fox
Summary: Iduna: Born in a land of Elemental magic. A free spirit, pure hearted, and curious. Agnarr: Born to a life of privileges and spoils. Kind, determinded, and optimistic. A dreadful battle brings them together and destiny pushes them closer. Hardships try to seperate them, but friendship and love must overcome. Was saving Agnarr the right thing or was it fate that called?
1. Preface

Preface  
_The Truth About My Past_

_Queen Iduna  
__Summer, July 1826_

**T**he warmth of the hearth spread to every corner of the quiet drawing room. The bright colors of a flickering sunset cast shadows of objects in its path across the lavender embordered carpet.

Queen Iduna sat curled up on the sizable settee placed against the large floor-to-ceiling windows that dominated the far wall. Her legs bent under the soft fabric of her royal purple skirts; the tips of her shoes poked out under the hem. Her back pushed into the throw pillows as her arms held the hardcover book. Her beautiful, handmade, burgundy scarf was draped over her slender shoulders. When she took a deep breath in through her nose, her scarf slipped off her shoulder and down her arm. She reached to pull it back up. The feelings of comfort and of love returned to her. Her _mother's_ love wrapped around her.

Iduna set the spine of her book in the gap between her thighs. All thoughts of continuing to read forgotten. She reached with her free hand to part the beige embordered curtains. Deep memories of her mother took her away.

The Northern Lights shone brightly of blue and green across the firmament. The peaceful light bathed her with its sensation through the gap in the curtains. Her eyes closed with a deep breath. Iduna let the quiet atmosphere seize her. The memories became alive.

The smell of the fresh forest air teasing her nose. The sound of the flowing creeks rushing over rocks in her ears. The tall whisks of the greenest grass tickling the palms of her hands.

When her eyes opened again, she watched the gentle flow above her.

'_I miss you. I really do.'_

A loud _pop_ from the burning wood caused Iduna to turn her head from the window. All remembrances of her family gone. Her back straightened from the relaxed slouch against the throw pillows. The fire popped again in the metal grate surrounded by stone. Iduna noticed the flames had gotten smaller since she had entered the room over an hour ago.

Letting the curtain close, Iduna closed the book in her lap before getting up from the plush couch. Without tripping on her gown, she crossed the small space between the couch and hearth. She held her scarf around her shoulders with one hand as she knelt before the dying fire. She went to work on rekindling the flames. She shuffled the already burnt logs to create room with the provided tool. Once she had a nice flat top, she reached over to the right of the hearth to grab a few more logs. She placed them carefully; making sure not to burn herself.

Iduna grabbed a few char-cloths to place under the wood; which rested a few centimeters above the ground. With the flint and steel stones, she gave a few strikes before the fallen sparks caught against the flammable material. She blew a quick breath to give life to the fire before lifting herself from the ground. She put the flint and steel back into the metal box on the mantel.

The heat of quick growing fire wrapped itself around Iduna like a blanket. She felt the warmth relax her. Her shoulders slumped from their perfect posture. Her eyes closed. Her head tilted back with ease without the weight of her crown.

The door to her drawing room opened. Her peaceful solitude was interrupted.

With a quiet sigh to herself, Iduna straightened her body back to the model of a queen. Composed and regal.

"Ah, there you are." Her husband, Agnarr, spoke with his low, soothing voice. "Thought I'd find you in here."

"Here I am." Iduna smiled back, her posture relaxed a bit again. "What brings you this way? I thought you were dealing with correspondence. Something to do with a new trade partner?"

Agnarr entered her special room that reflected her classic and simple tastes. He stopped short of her. "I was. Am." He corrected himself. "Still looking over the details and maps, but I don't think my eyes can take staring at another piece of parchment until tomorrow." He chuckled.

Iduna's smile widened.

"Also," he reached to brush Iduna's bangs from her eyes, "it's time for the girls to head to bed. Gerda informed me that they are playing in the nursery."

"Alright. I hadn't realized how late it had gotten." Iduna took hold of her husband's arm. Ready to walk to the nursery between the East and West Wings of the castle. But Agnarr didn't move and just stared at the palm of his hand. "Everything alright?"

His attention seemed to be brought back by the sound of her voice.

"Oh, yes, of course." He reassured. "I was just pondering why the tips of my fingers were covered with ash."

Iduna's eyebrows rose slightly when her husband showed her his hand. Sure enough, his fingers had been kissed with ash. The corner of his mouth was turned upward like he already knew why. Iduna swiped her fingertips over her forehead, the same way her husband did, and found ash on her fingers.

"Oops." She laughed. "Guess some of the ash from the hearth got disturbed when I was tending to it."

Agnarr stepped before her. He held her face gently as he used a red cloth to wipe the remaining ash from her forehead and cheeks. "There we go." He tucked the cloth back into his sleeve. "Come." He kissed her forehead before linking her hands around his offered arm again. "Let's go put the little Bråkmakere's to bed."

Iduna walked alongside her husband as they left her drawing room with a chuckle.

"Little Bråkmakere's?" She questioned with a sideways glance.

As she walked beside him, she slipped a hand from his arm to hold her treasured scarf around herself.

"They sure acted that way today." Agnarr answered.

Iduna couldn't help but let the laughter bounce off the walls of red wallpaper. "So, you heard about that?"

"Of course I heard about it." He replied. "The nanny came to me personally about it."

Iduna couldn't stop the laughter. She tried to cover her mouth with the back of her hand, but it did nothing to quiet it. Her stomach started to cramp from the constant chuckles that rumbled in her chest. She felt Agnarr tighten his grip just a bit to keep her standing somewhat straight as they continued down the halls. The sconces were placed perfectly along the walls to give light as they walked along the scarlet rug.

"I didn't realize it was that witty." He spoke with a smile.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Iduna took a few breaths to calm her laughter. "I know I shouldn't laugh, but when you get told your eight-year-old daughter froze her nanny's backside, you can't help but find it amusing."

For the longest time Agnarr didn't say anything, and Iduna wondered if he would at all. She knew her husband well. Better than the two who raised him when his mother passed shortly after childbirth. He is a learned and powerful man. Very formal at all times. Except, when it came to his daughters and his wife. His regal appearance melts away whenever the girls bat their lashes. He truly dotes upon his daughters, but it is nothing compared to how he relishes about Iduna. The way he would freeze and stare at her whenever she entered a room was like the world had stopped around him. Like there was nothing that could tear his gaze away.

Agnarr surprised Iduna from her thoughts when he leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"It was hard not to laugh when she used the hearth to melt the ice in my study." Agnarr replied with a chuckle.

Iduna almost choked on her laughter. "She did that?"

Agnarr straightened up and only replied with an '_mhmm'_, but Iduna saw the mischievous smile with a side glance. He found it uproarious like she had.

As the couple strolled further down the East Hall, the excited shouts of their daughters muffled voices could be heard behind the firm white nursery doors.

"Anna. Elsa." Agnarr hollered out halfway from the door.

"Bedtime soon." Iduna finished her husbands intended sentence.

When the couple came upon the nursery doors, Iduna unwrapped her arm from Agnarr's. She adjusted her scarf on her shoulders to keep it from hitting the floor. Iduna mainly heard her youngest speaking in her lively voice.

"Quick, Elsa, make a prince. A fancy one!"

Agnarr entered the nursery first. He hung in the doorway, listening to the girls play their game together. Their voices no longer inaudible with the door open.

"Your Majesty?" Iduna stopped herself from following behind Agnarr when Gerda called out for her. "I apologize for interrupting, but there's something in need of your attention."

Iduna noticed she held a folded parchment within her hand.

'_Duties never seem to take a break.'_

Iduna looked back at her daughters' room before returning her eyes to Gerda. Iduna had never missed saying goodnight to her little princesses. Not even when she carried them within her body. She wrapped her arms around herself.

"Has something happened?" She questioned.

"Not in that matter, Your Majesty, but the cook is unaware of what he is preparing for the gala next week." Gerda started to explain. "His Royal Majesty hasn't taken a moment to inform him."

Iduna let the breath she held in past her lips after several moments. She had thought the worst. Like the latest trade deal wasn't going as well as Agnarr had told her. It was just a simple preparation oversight.

Iduna placed a hand on Gerda's arm as an act of reassurance. "Leave the parchment on my desk in the drawing room. I'll take care of it later."

Iduna felt all the strain leave Gerda's body at her words. Her smile no longer tight. Her eyes softer. "Of course, Your Majesty." She took her leave down the hall.

With a shake of her head, Iduna made her way into her daughters' bedroom. She could hear her little princesses play their game of make believe. She went to the credenza place a bit from the doors to grab the book Agnarr and she had been reading to the girls. A favorite story of hers. A love story between a lonely king and a common woman who worked as a seamstress. A story that seemed familiar to her own.

"What sound does a giraffe make?" Elsa asked her younger sister.

Anna could only shrug her shoulders.

"Never mind." Iduna watched Elsa create a figure with her magic. "They wake the fairy queen, who breaks the spell and saves everyone!"

"And they all get married!" Anna cries out after grabbing all of the snow figures in her arms to hug close. The sound of her daughters' laughter makes her heart sing.

"What are you playing?" Agnarr asked. Iduna wondered when he had gotten a candle.

"Enchanted forest." Anna replied without turning to face her father.

"Hmm." Agnarr started to head towards Elsa's bed. "That's like no enchanted forest I've ever seen."

Elsa was the first to look at her father. Her blue eyes wide with wonder. "You've seen an enchanted forest?"

"Wait what?" Anna's confused gaze finally lifted up.

Iduna smiled fondly at her girls while the book she held hugged her chest.

"I have. Once." He gave the girls a smirk. A smirk that Iduna knew very well. Something he did often when they were younger. Being smug that he knew something she did not.

"And you've never told us this before?" Anna accused. Her tiny fists on her hips.

"I could tell you now. If you like." Iduna watched the girls race from the snow forest playset and onto Elsa's bed. Iduna looked up at Agnarr with her brows lowered.

"Now."

"Now. Tell us now."

Iduna made her way over to Elsa's bedside and placed the unneeded book on the end table. "Are you sure about this?" The worried look did not leave her eyes.

Agnarr gave her a reassuring smile. "It's time they know."

Still filled with unease, Iduna lifted and adjusted herself behind her daughters. Her legs to the side where her feet dangled over the edge and her arm used to steady herself.

She could hear Anna's whispered voice in her sister's ear before her, but she couldn't recognize what she was saying.

"If they can settle and listen." Agnarr wiggled his free fingers before the girls to get their attention.

Anna and Elsa both straightened their backs and filled their cheeks with air. Iduna watched Agnarr's face soften at the sight of them. His smile reached the forest green of his eyes that lit from the flickering flame of the candle he held.

"Far away, as north as we can go," Agnarr began, "stood a very old and very enchanted forest. But its magic wasn't that of goblin spells and lost fairies, it was protected by the most powerful spirits of all. Those of air. Of fire. Of water. And earth."

Iduna watched her husband's mouth as it moved. His words sending her back to a time she hadn't lived in many years.

"But it was also home to the mysterious Northuldra people."

"Were the Northuldra magical? Like me?" Elsa wondered.

"No, Elsa, they were not magical. They just took advantage of the forests gifts."

Iduna lifted her gaze to meet her husband's eyes, but he wasn't looking at her, he was focused on his daughters. Part of her was glad he didn't see the look behind the sea of blue within her eyes. He wouldn't see the pain that swam from his words. She wondered if he really thought the people of the north took _advantage_ of the spirits instead of the enjoyment and coexistence they shared together.

"Their ways were so different from ours, but still they promised us friendship. In honor of that, your grandfather, King Runeard, built them a mighty dam to strengthen their waters. It was a gift of peace."

"That's a big gift of peace." Anna commented.

"And I was so honored to get to go to the forest to celebrate it."

Iduna remembered seeing Agnarr there that day. Of course, he was much younger. His fascination with the forest. With the beauty from the spirits. His curiosity that lead to their first meeting after the Wind Spirit spoiled his hiding spot.

"I wasn't at all prepared for what the day would bring. We let down our guard. We were charmed. It felt so…magical. But something went wrong. They were attacking us."

'_Get behind me!'_

"It was a brutal battle. Your grandfather…was lost."

'_Father!'_

"The fighting enraged the spirits. They turned their magic against us all." Iduna could hear the echoes of the eerie melody from that day. A day she would never regret.

'_Ah ah ah ah.'_

"There was this voice."

'_Ah ah ah ah-ah ah ah.'_

"And someone saved me. I'm told the spirts then vanished, and a power mist covered the forest. Locking everyone out. And that night, I came home King of Arendelle." Agnarr finished his story to Elsa and Anna with a gloomy look in his eyes.

Iduna knew he still felt guilty about his late father's passing. How King Runeard was lost in the forest and he made it out alive with only a head wound. Iduna had tried to ease his perception several times over the years, but a part of him still blamed himself for the tragic end. She couldn't really say he wasn't allowed to feel that way after all these years, for she had a similar guilt that stormed inside her.

Stealing herself from inside her head, Iduna watched the candles flame cast shadows across Agnarr's prominent nose and illuminating her daughters faces. Their mouths hung open and their bright eyes wide from the fascination of their father's story. Iduna drew them closer to her, draping her scarf around them to add a weight of comfort.

"Whoa, Papa, that was epic." Anna said, breaking the silence. She collapsed against Iduna's ribs as her mind tried to picture everything she was told. "Whoever saved you, I love them." With Anna's dramatic movement, she pulled Iduna's scarf from her shoulders and wrapped herself in it. Iduna smiled down at her youngest and quietly laughed. She ran her fingers over her side and pulled her scarf over her face.

The king smiled at her with their youngest. "I wish I knew who it was."

'_I wonder…'_

"What happened to the spirits? What's in the forest now?" Elsa wondered out loud. Her quiet voice sounded worried. Iduna went to put a hand on her eldest but stopped at the sound of Agnarr's answer.

"I don't know. The mist still stands. No one can get in, and no one has come out since."

Iduna quickly locked eyes with her husband, giving him a warning look to be careful with his words. She wanted to make sure her daughters didn't feel alarmed. Her palm connected with Elsa's back. "So, we're safe."

"Yes," Agnarr agreed, "but the forest could wake again, and we must be prepared for whatever danger it may bring."

Iduna watched a flood of panic wash over Elsa's face at her father's warning, and she quickly intervened. "And on that note, how about we say goodnight to your father."

Her daughters were much too young to be thinking about violence and war…especially when she was trying to get them to sleep. She saw the apologetic expression on his face.

Anna groaned and kicked her mother's scarf off her tiny body. Iduna got up from the bed to walk her husband to the bedroom door.

"Aw, but I still have so many questions." Anna said with a pout.

"Save them for another night, Anna." Agnarr gave Elsa a kiss on her forehead.

"Urgh," she said in frustration, "he knows I don't have that kind of patience." She looked at her sister pointedly, who nodded, clearly agreeing with Anna.

Iduna watched her youngest clamp her lips together and scrunch her little nose. Her husband chuckled at her attempt at trying. His lips placed a kiss to her forehead. He crossed the room to the bedroom door. His hand wrapped around Iduna's waist like it naturally did when she was close. She smiled up at him before he gave a light kiss to her scarlet lips and left the room. As soon as Iduna shut the door, Anna's stream of questions began again.

"Why did the Northuldra attack us anyway?" Her question made Iduna's eyebrows raise. "Who attacks people who give them gifts?"

She carefully made her way back to Elsa's bed. Her skirts brushing against the snow forest and knocking some of the powder loose.

"Do you think the forest will wake again?" Elsa asked next, finally lifting her head from the bed to glance at her.

A soft look came across Iduna's face as the vivid memories of her past swept through her mind. She gave her daughters a soft smile. "I wish I had the answers, Dear Hearts. Alas, only Ahtohallan knows."

"Ahto-who-what?" Anna's face scrunches up in confusion.

Iduna laughed as she smiled bigger at Anna's expression. "When I was little, my mother would sing me a song about a special river called Ahtohallan, which is said to hold all the answers about the past and what we're a part of."

The sisters shared a glance after Anna's head found its way onto Elsa's shoulder, then two pairs of blue eyes stared up at the Queen.

"Will you sing it for us? Please?"

How could Iduna turn down that pleading smile her eldest gave her. Deciding to humor her children and that there was no harm in indulging in part of her past, she gave them a nod.

"Alright." She slipped further onto Elsa's bed until her back slouched against the pillows. "Cuddle close. Scooch in." Her daughters curled up into each of her sides. Anna's shoulder pressed into her ribs and Elsa placed her head into her chest, but she pulled them in closer.

Queen Iduna's voice was like a summers breeze. It was low and warm as it sang the lullaby her mother used to sing to her all those years ago. It sounded like nothing but love to her daughters as they listened with smiles.

Iduna slipped her hand from Anna's, who played with her fingers, and ran her pinky down Anna's nose. The little princess followed her finger until her eyes could no longer stay open. Iduna felt the chuckle Elsa gave upon hearing Anna's snoring. The queen picked Anna up gently, cradling her in her side as she made her away across the room. She placed Anna softly on her own bed. Her arms tossed out across her pillow. Iduna pulled the thick, pink covers over her snoring child to tuck her in. She used her finger to rub off some of the drool.

Iduna returned to Elsa just as the eight-year-old climbed to the edge of her own bed. Iduna lifted her into her arms. Cradling Elsa to her chest as she continued to sing her mothers lullaby. She cuddled Elsa as close as she could get her while she stood before the large window. She looked to the sky that swayed with light.

Elsa was barely awake when she reached the end of her song. She brought the exhausted child to her bed and set her beneath the covers of blue.

"Now sleep, my Little Snow." She whispered, kissing both of Elsa's pale and tiny hands.

She fluffed Elsa's pillow as the blond head fell upon it. Iduna brushed her daughters bangs out of the way with the back of her hand, wrapped her scarf back around her shoulders, and then picked up the candle that wavered on the bedside table.

"Mother?" Elsa spoke just as the queen touched the door of the room. "Do you think Ahtohallan knows why I have magical powers?"

Iduna didn't answer the droopy eyed princess immediately. She thought hard before she spoke. "If Ahtohallan is out there, Little Snow, I imagine it knows that and so much more." She finally answered.

Just before Elsa finally couldn't stay awake any longer, she muttered out, "Someone should really try to find it."

Iduna's smile was nostalgic as she stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind her. Leaving her Dear Hearts to sleep with pleasant dreams.

* * *

**T**he night was late. Much later than she would normally be up, but her mind was tormented. Heavy with thoughts and guilt. All she could think of was Agnarr, and how she had hidden herself from him their entire relationship. The story he told their girls was the truth about her past. The beginning of their story. Iduna pulled her legs closer to her chest. Pulling her skirts back down her legs from her movement to cover her bare feet. Although she still wore her stockings and the hearth was blazing, she felt cold.

She had been left alone for awhile now. She wasn't sure exactly how long, but she guessed a few hours. Iduna had dismissed Gerda after they had finished with the gala dinner menu. She would need to meet with cook in the morning to insure he knew what to prepare. Gerda hasn't been back since then. Iduna turned her head from the cushion of the settee to the bare window.

'_He deserves to know, Iduna.'_ Her mind argued. _'He is your husband and your best friend. He loves you. You _know _he loves you. That's not going to change if you tell him the truth about yourself.'_

Iduna bit down on her bottom lip from nerves. She pulled her scarf tighter around her chest to try and impede the shaking. The comfort she was normally given did nothing to stop the water from building behind her lashes. The fear of his reaction alarmed her. She loved him. She loved him more than she ever thought was possible. And, she didn't want him to change his views about her.

'_You need to have faith in him, Iduna. Don't you trust him? Trust that he won't change his feelings towards you.'_

"Darling?"

Iduna didn't know when the door had opened. She didn't know why she never heard the footsteps approach her. Nor did she prepare for the hand to touch her shoulder. Her body jumped on the settee, knocking the throw pillows on the floor.

"Agnarr!" Her hand pressed against her heart. She felt the pulsing beat against her chest. "You startled me!"

"I can see. I apologize." He smiled with a laugh.

She removed her palm from her chest and back around her legs. "What time is it?"

"It's late." He replied. "Which is why I came looking for you. You weren't in our room when I entered, so I figured you fell asleep reading again."

Iduna blushed when she smiled at him. "No, just, couldn't sleep."

Agnarr raised a strawberry-blonde brow. "Somethings wrong."

"Wrong?" Iduna questioned. "With you?"

"No, you." Agnarr reached for her closest hand as he knelt to one knee and clasped it between his. "You can't sleep, that happens when you feel something is wrong. What is it?"

'_Tell him the truth, Iduna. Do it!'_ Her mind screamed at her. She wondered if Agnarr heard it from the loud volume it shouted.

"It's…" she hesitated, "it's nothing, Agnarr. Just the dinner menu for the gala next week for the visiting Baron."

"Oh, I completely forgot! I was so focused on gettinge the trade agreement ready that I didn't give time to prepare the gala."

"It's alright." Iduna placed her free hand over his. "I took care of it."

"Of course you did." Agnarr laughed. "You always do, but that's not what's troubling you."

Iduna lowered her gaze for just a moment.

'_You know you'll regret never telling him.'_ Her mind reasoned. She carefully got up from the settee. Agnarr let her hand slip from his as she took a few steps away from him.

"Iduna?"

She recognized that tone of voice he used. It was a tone he used when things felt out of his control. When he didn't know how to help her. Her guilt sprouted within her heart.

"What is it, love?" She felt his hands shift the fabric on her arms. She shivered as his hands rubbed along her arms until he reached her hands clasped before her. "How can I help you?"

'_TELL HIM THE TRUTH!'_

Iduna turned around to face her husband, but she could only stare at his chest. Her guilt eating at her. She reached up to place her palms flat against his broad chest. Her fingers touched the cold metals pinned to his deep blue, nearly black, suit jacket. His arms wrapped themselves around her tiny frame to embrace her as close as he could. His heart drummed beneath her palm.

"I have something I need to tell you, Agnarr." Iduna finally spoke with a shaken voice.

"Tell me." Agnarr spoke lovingly in her ear. The warmth of his palm spread over her cheek as he lifted her face from his chest. It was like all the stress suddenly left her shoulders at the sound of his voice. His thumb brushed under her eye to catch the stray tear. "Hey, are you worried about telling me?"

She watched as his eyes moved across her face. The worry lines at the corner of his eyes furthered her guilt. She was causing him to worry about her when there was no need for him to worry. "I'm afraid your feelings for me will change."

"Iduna, nothing in this world would ever change my feelings for you." Agnarr reassured the best way he could. "I love you with everything I am."

'_I'm praying that won't change.'_

"I need to tell you the truth about my past, and where I'm from." Iduna finally blurted out.

"I'm here." Agnarr pulled her into his chest. Her head rested on his shoulder with his fingers in her hair. "I'm listening."

* * *

**Bråkmakere**-Troublemaker


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One  
_The Celebration, The War, The Rescue _

_Iduna  
__Spring, April 1814_

**S**he had risen early that warm morning. Just as the rays of sunshine broke over the horizon she was up and dressed. Well, nearly dressed.

As her leather boots pushed past the freshly bloomed flowers, she pulled the leather tunic over her thick wool-lined shirt. She pulled her unprepared, thick curls from beneath her tunic and removed the purple length of fabric from her teeth. As she continued to move through the silent forest, she wrapped the length of fabric around her slim waist. With her wardrobe complete, Iduna took off further from her slumbered camp.

Her skilled feet carried her around the natural land of grass, dirt, and rocks. The fresh spring wind blew her wild curls behind her and whistled the songs of birds beginning to wake in her ears. With the sun breaking past the Quaking Aspen trees, Iduna took a deep breath. Her youthful spirit set free. Her body carried through the trunks of Aspens. Her arms soaring about her body like wings. Coming upon the ledge of the land just before the fjord, Iduna sent herself towards where the tree line ended. Just before she reached her intended tree, a quick gush of wind blew around her legs.

The Wind Spirit had found her.

Iduna's laughter was pure. It continued to grow fuller when her feet were lifted from the ground. The spirit danced around her body, hoisting her further off the narrow path she had been following. When she took in her new perspective, Iduna noticed there was nothing but air between her and everything else. There was nothing keeping her from flying aimlessly through her forest now. Her smile a mile wide it could touch her ears, she let herself go.

Iduna allowed the Wind Spirit to float her young body of thirteen through the trees. The freedom she felt was never the same as it was the time before. Her stomach might flip each time the wind moved her around, but Iduna lived for it. Every breath she took was through her smile as her speed picked up.

'_Why should I take it slow?'_

Suddenly, the spirit seeming to feel her glee. Her body was carried higher and higher towards the treetops. Headfirst and fast like a raged river, Iduna took the chance to go higher than she ever had before. Her shameless laughter echoed in the breeze. She used her arms to shield her face from the branches as her body broke through the canopy.

She felt her body just hover once she broke through the cover and she finally unshielded her eyes. Her breath caught in her throat from the view. Iduna had seen her home many times in her life, but never from a vantage point like this. She was above the treetops with fresh green leaves of all shades. The light of a new day shining down upon her, warming her sun kissed skin. Her eyes of blue couldn't stop from scanning over everything they could see. It was like the atmosphere was glowing all around her.

Her body was moved.

"Whoa!" Iduna cried in surprise.

She covered her face once again when she dived into the trees again. She didn't fly for much longer when they neared the edge of the forest. Iduna made quick work of grabbing hold of the trees trunk to steady herself after she was placed back on her feet. Her stomach still fluttered with tiny butterflies like it always did when the spirit decided to gift her with flying.

"Good morning to you as well!" Iduna greeted with a large smile.

The amplest of magical spirits greeted her by flying fireweed flowers into her windblown curls. Whips falling around her cheeks.

Iduna tried to follow the nearly invisible spirit, but when she spotted the creation she had set out to see that morning, her eyes didn't move away.

Iduna knew she would hear about her absence from her mother after she returned to camp, but at the moment, all her care went with the wind; carried far into the forest. The day had finally come. The gift was complete, and she couldn't wait to celebrate with her people and the Arendellians who lived further south.

"Would you look at it. It's like nothing I've ever seen." Iduna spoke aloud.

Iduna remembered the story her mother told her of the day ships had arrived through the fjord's southern entrance. They were huge wooden ships filled with people who wanted to start a life along the waters edge. She said the people created homes made of wood and stone. Painted with the most wonderful colors. Her favorite part of the story was of the magnificent stone structure, that stood taller than any home, built for the royal family. The Kingdom was called Arendelle.

Years later, when she was but a child, Iduna recalled the Arendellians new King being welcomed by the Northuldra leader. The King and the Father of their people shook hands to seal the friendship the king before him had built. Iduna remembered the excitement that bubbled inside. It was then the Arendellians started work on what they called a dam, a way to demonstrate friendship. And it was finally finished. After two years, it was done.

The structure was made out of nothing she had never used before. Heavy blocks of somber stone pressed together formed the massive structure. The dam was placed on the river that flowed down into the main fjord, the deep blue body of water where the Arendelle Castle was built.

Iduna wrapped her arm around the trunk of the tree to keep herself from falling as she leaned out to get a closer look at the dam. She saw how it connected their lands together by the bridge atop of the grand structure.

"It's magnificent, isn't it?" Iduna asked the breeze that ran along her locks. She knew the spirit was incapable of replying back to her, but years of speaking into the wind, it came natural for her to talk aloud when it came to the spirits. A sudden gust of wind found its way into her tunic. Petals of firewood fluttered in her clothes. "Hey! Get out of there!" Iduna pressed against her tunic to get the Wind Spirit out of her clothing. The petals flew out and then into her face. She giggled at the playful spirit.

But then the spirit spun around her body from her feet to her back. Although the wind didn't have arms, Iduna felt the spirit push against her back and her body was flung off the trees branch.

"Ah!"

Iduna started falling towards the ground. There had to be at least seventy-five feet between her and the ground. Her arms pushed out past her head as she fell face first through the air. Gravity pulled her down, her speed increased that brought her closer to the ground below much faster. Iduna felt her heart start to pound harder beneath her ribs. Out of natural reaction, her eyes locked together when the ground came way to close to her body.

"Oomph!"

She was caught.

The Wind Spirit swept her body up into an upright position. Her arms were made to spread about her like a dancer. Her legs moved like she was spinning around. Her smile returned as she danced a few inches above the ground. Fallen leaves of green, pink firewood petals, and blades of grass circled around her dancing frame.

"Iduna!"

Her dancing stilled. The Wind Spirit spiraled around her body before it disappeared into the trees. Her feet finally touched the ground once more. The pieces of nature the Wind Spirit had within its current fell around her. Some landing in her hair and the others to the stone beneath her.

"Iduna!"

The echo of her mother's voice was louder than the first call and it made her grimace. She knew she would hear it from her mother, especially today of all days. It was normal for Iduna to run off from her home without doing her fair share of chores, but her mother made a point about them because of today.

"Coming!" With one last look at the dam, Iduna took off back into the trees.

She stayed on the narrow path of pebbles and dirt. The natural wind blew along her clothing and pushed her wild hair out of her face. She jumped over fallen branches. She climbed over large stones. Her movements like a dancer as she raced through the tree trunks of white. The giggle that escaped her smile was musical.

She dug the heels of her brown boots into the dirt to stop her momentum when she came upon the meadow her people settled in. The white wood shelters stood tall around the edges. A large space left in the middle that held a large firepit. She saw the older members of her tribe moving about. A man was carrying an armful of chopped logs in his arms. A woman was placing some herbal plants in a basket. She got closer and noticed a group of girls around her age sat with an elder learning to sew. Iduna made a face at the unpleasant activity.

Her expression dropped the moment her mother's form caught her eye. She winced when Iduna saw her body language. Her mother was tall, but not thin. Her legs were strong beneath her wool pants. Her hips wide from childbirth, but her stomach wasn't truly flat. Her hands, rough from years of work, balled together on her hips. Her torso pushed out with a deep breath. Her thick, brown hair twisted in a braid cascaded over her strong shoulders.

Iduna bit into her lip and walked up to her mother. She saw her mother's warm brown eyes trail her as she came closer.

"Hello, mother." Iduna greeted to try and break the tension of her gaze.

Her brow lifted. "Hello, Iduna." She finally spoke once Iduna was stopped before her. "And just where have you been this morning?"

"I went for a run in the forest." Iduna fiddled with the purple sash around her waist.

"And what did we talk about last night?"

Iduna gave her a lopsided smile. "Doing my chores before I was allowed to leave home?"

"And did you do them?"

"No."

"Iduna," her mother sighed.

"I really wanted to see the dam." She quickly told. "I've been waiting for two years to see it done."

"Yes, I'm well aware of that, but you'll get to see the dam later today during the celebration. Right now, you are needed here." Her mother lifted her hands to Iduna's smaller shoulders. She watched her mother's brows crunch together as her fingers rubbed in her hair. Her mother pulled out a blade of grass. "My goodness, Dear Heart. You didn't even do your hair before leaving?"

"I don't really see the point. My hair does what it wishes." Iduna shrugged.

"Oh, what am I gonna do with you?" Her mother said playfully. "Come on, let's get you presentable before you start your chores."

Iduna was pulled through the camp by her mother's hands on her shoulders. While being pushed through the camp to their home, Iduna noticed some of the members smirk in her direction. Everyone in the Northuldra tribe knew Iduna well. She was the _'free spirit'_ of their people. Always found jumping through the camp. Climbing into trees to hang off the branches. Chasing after the Wind Spirit for hours in the forest. She even talked to the Fire Spirit when it came around; it could be found in her hand when it appeared.

Iduna stuck her tongue out at the group around the firepit before she was moved into the shelter her mother and she slept in.

It was a simple space. Two palettes took up most of the room. Several lengths of wool and a blanket folded near the single pillow. The only other objects that filled the space was a carved wooden stool and a single small table. A few personal items her mother, Solveig, held dear to her rested on the wooden surface. Most of the items were things Iduna had made for her as a youngling.

"Come, Iduna." Her mother called with the comb in her hand.

Iduna crossed the small space and sat on the wooden stool as her mother began to run the comb through her difficult hair. Silence circled the two except for Iduna's occasional groan. Her nails dug into the stool with each tug her mother gave. The torture finally ended when her mother got all the tangles and forest from her head. Her skilled fingers brushed along her scalp as she worked strands of her hair into braids.

Iduna brushed the tips of her boots against the ground as her mother worked.

"I'm sorry." Iduna finally spoke.

"Whatever for?"

"For not listening again."

She heard the chuckle behind her. Her mother's fingers gathered half of her hair into her hands.

"Iduna, I already expected you to take off this morning." She wrapped one of the thin leather ties around the bundle of hair.

"You did?" Her head lifted a bit.

"Of course I did." Her mother tied the knot secure before letting her hair settle. "You're a free spirit, Iduna. You go where nature calls you. I often wonder if you're more Magical than Northuldra."

"Is that a bad thing?" Iduna asked, finally able to turn herself to look at her mother.

"No, it's not, Dear Heart." Her mother assured her. Her mother knelt down to her knees and ran her thumb over Iduna's cheek as she held it. "You have such a pure soul, Iduna, and it is the thing I cherish about you. But you aren't a child anymore, darling. You have responsibilities here. You can't spend your time running like a wild child anymore."

"But, mother," Iduna tried to argue.

"I know this isn't what you want to hear, but you can't shake off your share of work. If you want to race through the forest, then you can as long as your chores are finished first."

Iduna wanted nothing but to argue against her mother, but when she took in the wrinkles around her eyes and the graying streaks in her hair, Iduna decided against it. She knew her mother was getting on in years and couldn't do everything she used to. Was that why she was telling this to her? Because her mother needed her more now than as a child?

"I understand, mother." Iduna clasped her mother's wrinkling hand within her own. "I promise I'll do better."

Her mother pressed her lips to her forehead before she got up from the floor. "Now," Iduna got up from the wooden stool, "I need you to go out to pick more berries."

"But I already picked them yesterday morning." Iduna complained.

"One of the younglings decided to use them as paint."

Her mother stood by the door with her woven basket. Iduna gave a shake of her head with a loud sigh. She grabbed her burgundy scarf off the little table and placed it inside the basket when she snatched it on her way out.

"Hurry back, Iduna." Her mother called after her.

Iduna simply waved her arm into the air before she trudged into the forest.

* * *

**I**duna stood with her people, proud and strong, as she followed her tribe across the ashen bridge of stone. Her excitement could hardly be contained within her small frame as she bounced beside her mother. The tiny reindeer she held wiggled in her arms. Iduna took the hint from the restless creature and released it back to the ground once she made it across. The baby danced away from her in the blades of grass. Iduna laughed as it disappeared and returned her focus to the group of uniformed Arendellians that waited for them across the great dam.

They dressed so differently than they did. They wore mostly greens of a shade she'd never seen before; at least she hoped it was green. Many had strange weapons attached to their bodies that reflected the suns light if it caught it. They were pointed and had a handle at one end.

Iduna took in their leader, King. She hoped that's who it was, he was the one who stood before them all. He was a large man. His shoulders very wide while a sort of scarf rested upon them. He held himself tall; like he wanted to tower over everyone. His hair was bright under the sun, almost the color of a carrot.

There was a boy next to him. His head only reached the King's shoulder and he looked about her age. He was dressed similar to the rest of the group. She watched him closely. His eyes seemed to dance with wonder and excitement from the settings around him. His smile was wide but goofy, at least until the king took notice of him and flicked his hand under the boy's chin.

'_Is that the Kings son?'_

The King spoke to the boy before he stepped forward with a guard to speak with the Northuldra leader.

Iduna's arm was grabbed by her mother and she led the young girl down to the festivities around their camp. The blonde headed boy she saw disappeared from view.

At the heart of the celebration, Northuldra and Arendellians intermingled, food was passed around from person to person. Iduna had slipped between people to grab pieces of everything before stuffing them into her mouth. She found the Arendellians food to be really good. She wasn't aware of what they were called, but her favorite was dark colored. It melted the moment it touched her tongue and it left the sweetest taste behind. She took several off the table.

She was given a drink by one of the Arendellian soldiers. It tasted strange to her. When she took a large gulp of it, it burned her throat making her nearly gag. It tasted nothing like the food did. She was going to stick with water for the remainder of the celebration. When no one was looking, she dumped the rest to the ground. All around her she saw her family and those from Arendelle talk and laugh like the way old friends would. It made her heart flutter to see their lands and people get along.

Stands of her long curls blew over her face as leaves circled around her. The Wind Spirit was back to play. Iduna felt the eagerness return to herself. She took off after the flying stream of leaves the spirit carried. Laughing the whole way. The spirit leads her around the clearing where the celebration took place. She raced around Northuldra and Arendellian solders alike. She didn't miss the strange looks some of the uniformed dressed people gave her as she laughed past them. All they saw was a young girl racing after leaves.

Iduna started to dance after the spirit when it began to play around her. She twisted and twirled in the breeze. Her laughter grew louder. Her soul coming to life. But suddenly the Wind Spirit blew around her so harsh it made her body twist to fast and her footing was lost. She expected to hit the grassy clearing, but instead she landed on something much harder.

"Ouch!"

Iduna quickly scrambled to her feet when she heard the object cry out. Upon her turn, she noticed she had landed on someone, but not just anyone, Iduna landed on the blond headed boy she saw earlier.

"Oh my gosh!" Iduna cried out. "I am so sorry."

She reached out to offer her help. She assisted in getting the boy up to his feet before she dropped her arms and took a step back.

'_If the King was this boy's father, would that make him royal as well?' _Iduna wondered. _'Is there a penalty for nearly crushing a royal?'_

Iduna watched him brush off nonexistent dirt from his coat. He fixed the fabric tied around his neck before his fingers brushed back his blond locks.

"It's quite alright, miss." The boy finally spoke. His goofy smile returned and Iduna felt her body react strange to it. "I was at fault. Not paying attention to my surroundings is a bad habit of mine. I get too caught up in my thoughts."

"No, no." Iduna quickly spoke. "It is really mine. I was chasing after the wind before it caused me to trip."

Perhaps that was not the right thing to say for the boy looked down at her strangely. Iduna noticed that he stood a whole head taller than her, but he didn't seem that much bigger than her because his body was lean.

Iduna took another approach with her words. "What I meant to say was I was playing with the Wind Spirit. And sometimes it can take things a little out of hand."

It was at that moment the spirit came to blow around the young boy. His coat fanned out around his body then his hair rustled from its clean sweep back into a mess of fallen strands.

"Wind Spirit."

Iduna noticed nothing but wonderment in his eyes. He was charmed by the spirit who played in his hair.

"How do you know this is the Wind Spirit and not just a simple breeze?" The young boy questioned with a raised brow.

Before Iduna could give him an answer, the Wind Spirit took things into its own current. It slipped into his unbuttoned coat and it flipped it over his head. Iduna nearly burst into a fit of giggles, but she stopped herself with her hand. The blond boy did nothing but laugh as he fixed his coat back to its perfect mend around his legs.

"I guess that answers that question." He gave her a pure smile.

The Wind Spirit blew around in the grass that surround the two young teens.

"I apologize for the spirit. The wind is the most passionate of the four." Iduna informed him. "And the best at being mischievous."

"No, its fine. I find the Wind Spirit…refreshing."

He was still smiling at her, and it made her knees start to shake. His eyes looked at her the same way he looked at the forest. Filled with astonishment and fascination. Like he was mesmerized. Iduna felt herself unable to look elsewhere. His eyes, they were so green. Like the new leaves on the trees. The longer he stared at her the more heat she felt in her cheeks.

'_What is this feeling? Am I nervous?'_ Iduna wondered.

"Prince Agnarr?"

Both teens were broken from their staring spell when the boy turned to look in a new direction. Iduna pressed her hand to her cheek to try and settle the fire beneath the skin.

"Guess my hiding spot is no more, I'm sorry, I have to go." His feet started to move back towards the clearing. "See you around?"

Iduna could only give the boy, Agnarr was his name, a simple nod. He took off after he gave her one last grin. Then Iduna was left alone with the Wind Spirit continuously circling her.

'_Wait, what just happened?'_

Iduna took a few steps towards the clearing to try and get a glance at the boy again. No, the Prince. Prince Agnarr. But she couldn't spot him in the large crowd. She only saw the show her people put on. Two Northuldra circled around demonstrating tricks they could do on the backs of reindeer. She heard the cheers and clapping from the group.

Iduna turned to press her back to the trunk of the tree because she felt her knees about to give away. Her hand still felt the heat in her face. Her chest felt like it was quivering. What was happening to her?

She wasn't given much time to think about it because the Wind Spirit lifted her body from the ground. Her legs dangled as she was swept into her happy place. She giggled. She was shifted around until her body took off upward. She floated around in the air. The sunlight streaming through the branches and highlighted her swaying body. Her untamable hair waved around her head, wisps of brown turned red from the sunlight. Her eyes closed off the scenery. A smile plastered on her cheeks with a deep intake of fresh air. She could smell the food. The current of water behind the dam. The fur of their reindeer. All these smells mingled together as she breathed. It was peaceful.

Iduna didn't know what had happened. One moment she was suspended in the air, feeling nothing but relaxed in the breeze she trusted completely, then she was on the ground. A sharp pain raging through her back, but she didn't cry out.

She was filled with confusion. Never had the Wind Spirit dropped her, so what caused it to just suddenly do it now? She turned her body on the ground so she could use her arms to push herself up. Her back ached at the movement. She shook loose hair from her mouth and looked around the forest.

It was quiet. It was much too quiet and that unsettled Iduna. The forest was a peaceful place, but it was never silent. She gazed across the lush land, but there was no movement. The bushes, the grass, the tree leaves were as still as death. It was like someone had flipped the switch and the Wind Spirit just disappeared.

'_What's happening?' _Iduna pushed herself up from the ground and stood surrounded by soundless trees. Her head turned in different directions to get a better look around herself, but everything was still.

Her ears picked up a strange sound. It sounded familiar.

Something struck a tree with a _plop_. Iduna looked for whatever it was. Not even five feet from her body there was a tree. In the center of its truck, about the height of her cheek, was an arrow stuck in the wood. It was an arrow that had zipped by her head. Staring at it with utter confusion, her ears began to pick up more sounds. These sounds were not like the ones she had heard only minutes before. The sounds were those of metal clashing against metal, against wood. Iduna turned on her heels and took off for the clearing near her people's camp. She hadn't realized how far the Wind Spirit had taken her from the celebration.

When Iduna reached the meadow, where everyone had been in merriment moments ago, was now turned to a battlefield. She saw her people fighting against the Arendellians. Their strange weapons crashing against their wooden staffs. All the peace between them was no more. Iduna couldn't believe what she was seeing.

She pushed herself low to the ground near a tree to keep out of sight. Her scared eyes traveled over the brutal battle taking place. Arendellian soldiers pushed against most of the men in her tribe. The men of her people were more trained in the art of battle, but not as much as the Arendellians were. It was obvious to any bystander. She could see some bodies lying in the grass, unmoving. From her vantage point she was unsure if they were Arendellians or her own kind, and she didn't want to know. She heard the scream and cries. Were they from her people or were they her own?

Iduna sent her eyes further around the meadow being covered in blood and severed body parts. She had to cover her mouth to keep the scream from escaping when she saw an Arendellian warrior plunge his unknown weapon into the throat of one of her people. Iduna bit down on her lip beneath her hand. Her eyes blurred from the forming tears. She hid behind the tree when the warrior pulled his weapon free from the Northuldra males' neck; severing half of it from his shoulders.

Her heart started to scream as it slowly broke. Her world was being painted with blood. Her people were being cut down like wild animals. She heard shouting from the battlefield. When she came out to look again, she saw the women of her tribe grabbing the young members as they tried to escape. Children crying. Screaming like their lives were ending. Iduna guessed in a way they were ending. She saw the younglings grab hold of their sibling or mothers for dear life.

'_Mother!'_ Iduna went wide eyed.

Where was her mother?

Her eyes franticly searched around the meadow for the figure of her mother. She witnessed more bodies being cut down, not all of them were Northuldra. She scanned every inch of the clearing, but she couldn't spot her mother. If she was to find her mother, then Iduna needed to cross the blood field. With every limb shaking under her weight, Iduna got to her feet again. She ripped her hair out of her face and with a scared breath she took off into the clashing metal.

Her legs shook. Her arms felt numb. Her head like a feather, but she kept going. A rush of energy is the only thing that allowed her body to move across the field. Iduna never put so much trust into her dancing feet until she was face to face with the end. Her feet moved her further into the crowded field, she twisted around swinging arms, and ducked from wooden staffs. She arrested her feet to take a moment to look around. Her body felt so much smaller being surrounded by others taller and wielding weapons. Iduna did her best to keep as low as she could. She still saw no sign of her mother and she began to panic.

'_No!' _She yelled to herself. _'No, keep yourself together, Iduna. Your mother is a capable woman. She knows the forest. Just focus. Where would she go?'_

Iduna stared at the ground as she thought. Her ears rang from the loud sounds. Metal created a horrible scraping sound when it hit against metal. Chopping sounds, like when she would chop wood with an axe, echoed through the clearing and started to suffocate her. She could hear strange whistling and then screams.

"Iduna!"

Her head popped up from the ground to turn at the voice who called her. It was a Northuldra male, Trygve, who raced in her direction. Fear in his eyes. Something reflective caught in the corner of her blurred vision and she turned more to see an Arendellian solider coming straight for her. His face was twisted in anger, his mouth open to allow a battle cry out. His arms held his weapon up, ready to swing at her, and all Iduna could do was stare in horror.

Her body refused to do anything. She couldn't move her arms. Her feet glued to the grass. She couldn't even scream.

The Arendellian was so close to her tiny frame now. She could hear her name being called by Trygve, but she still only stared.

In a flash, Iduna was blocked from the angry Arendellian man. Her body was knocked backwards and landed in the grass. Her hands slipped on something wet and sticky, but she never looked away from Trygve. He pushed his wooden staff against the metal weapon just as it came down to slice through her. He had pushed her away with his back before it could touch her.

"Trygve!" Iduna cried out.

"Iduna, what are you doing?!" He yelled at her. "Get out of here!"

Her fingers curled around the grass beneath her hands. The tears built behind her lashes, threatening to slide down her face. She watched him fight against the Arendellian. Trygve was a head shorter, but he seemed to be holding against the solider. She watched their feet push into the grass. Trygve pushed with everything he had to keep the sharp weapons blow from touching him.

Suddenly, Trygve's foot slipped in the grass. Iduna saw his boot covered with blood. He had slipped on the blood. The Arendellian took advantage and sent his weapon against Trygve's chest. His body was knocked back just before her. He let out a harsh grunt before his eyes met her own.

"Get out of here!"

Iduna went to answer, but she never got the chance. The Arendellian moved his arm much faster. Iduna saw the sharp end push down until it plunged right into Trygve's mouth. Iduna screamed with such trepidation. Her hands went to hover over her mouth. She stared in utter and complete disbelief.

Blood.

There was so much of his blood that pooled inside his mouth. It dripped out from the sides, and down into the grass beneath him. Iduna wanted to move to him. She wanted to touch his body and cry that he would be okay, but before she could even nudge, the sword was pulled out of his mouth. She saw the blood building up faster. Trygve just laid there unmoving after he just saved her life.

Iduna started to break. Her soul shattering into pieces. The man who vowed to always protect her after their betrothal was announced, was now lost to her forever. His body remained as an empty shell, while his soul escaped.

Iduna scrambled her body backwards. Her feet pushed as deep as they could into the ground. She twisted herself around and ran.

'_Trygve is dead.'_ Iduna ran blindly across the field. Her feet just carried her toward her home. Her knees shook and nearly gave out from under her, but when she stumbled, she only pushed herself back up.

'_Trygve is dead.'_ She chanted again. _'Trygve is dead.'_

'_Trygve is dead.'_

She broke through the main battlefield.

'_Trygve is dead.'_

Iduna ran past more people swinging their weapons, but there weren't nearly as many.

'_Trygve is dead.'_

Iduna felt her tears falling from her eyes. Her heart beat wildly, and she feared it would burst at any moment. Her feet jumped over logs as she entered her camp. She was blind to everything except her shelter. It was just there. She wanted to hide in her woven quilt and pray this was all a dream. She didn't stop her feet, she pushed herself faster. Her shoulder crashed into the door of her shelter. The door slammed against the wall made of wood and Iduna stumbled in from the blow.

She stiffened just in the doorway.

There in the middle of the small space was a body. The body was in an awkward position. Blood covered most of the Northuldra clothing, staining it a deep maroon. The blood was gathered largely in the stomach, but it had also pooled from under into a puddle around the body; soaked up in the palettes. Buried deep into the flesh of the body was a dagger. It was one of their own daggers. Her mother's dagger.

Iduna found her mother.

"_Oh gods!" _Iduna screamed.

Her body finally collapsed when she ran to her mother's side. Her knees hit the ground hard enough they vibrated. Her hands reached out for her, but they only shook violently as they hovered above. Her lip trembled as she stared down. Iduna finally broke. Her sobs racked her body. Her back arched as she tried to curl into herself.

"_Mother?"_ She pleaded. _"Oh gods. No, please, no."_

"Iduna?"

Iduna gasped as her mother barely opened her eyes. She quickly placed her hand in her mother's hair. Blood stuck her fallen strands together in large clumps.

"_I'm here, mom." _Iduna chocked out.

"Darling," her mother, somehow, reached up to touch Iduna's slick cheek, "I want to tell you something."

Iduna could only manage a nod.

"I am so proud of you, Iduna. Of the young lady you have become. I am honored that I was privileged to be your mother."

Iduna felt the harsh air enter and leave her body as her sobs began to grow too much.

"_Mother, please,"_ Iduna tried to speak, but her words failed her.

"My time has come, Dear Heart," her mother confessed, "but I will be with you always." Iduna felt her mother press something into her free hand. She looked down to see the burgundy scarf bundled between their hands. "Never forget who you are, Iduna, no matter where life takes you now, always remember you are Northuldra. You are born of the sun."

Iduna felt her mother's hands grow weaker. Iduna quickly grabbed hold of her mother's hand on her cheek with both of hers. The warmth in her palm was fading. Her eyes were losing color and her skin paling.

"_No, mother, please don't leave me here!"_ Iduna begged with everything she had left in her. Her eyes couldn't even see anything but blurs of color.

"Please forgive me, I love you,"

Her mother's voice was barely there until it faded away. The arm Iduna held became dead weight to her. Her mother was gone and Iduna's final defense was broken. Iduna pressed her face into her mother's hand and cried. She screamed harshly and didn't care if someone heard her. Her mother was dead, and she was truly alone in the world now. Her people were fighting for their lives. They still had will to live, but Iduna, Iduna felt cold. She felt nothing but cold. Her skin felt numb to where she didn't even feel her mother's hand anymore. Her body was as empty and lost as her mother's below her.

But then everything got worse.

Her home was suddenly erupted in flames, and not the natural fire. The Fire Spirit was angry. Iduna felt the heat of the unnatural pink flames take over the small space she curled in. Her arms flew before her face as the heat began to push her away from her mother. Her body fell to its back. She scrambled to get up just in time to see her mother's body being set ablaze.

"No!"

Iduna reached out to grab her mother, but the sudden growth of the fire kept her back. Iduna screamed. She had to get out. Before she forced her clumsy body out of the wooden shelter, she grabbed the scarf her mother shoved to her. Her body coughed from the smoke that suffocated her. Once she was out into the open of her camp, she wrapped the scarf around herself. She prayed it would give her strength to carry on. To do the next right thing by her mother.

'_May your memory rest in Ahtohallan until I see you again.'_

Iduna was startled by a massive shot of fire that covered the forest like a shock wave. Iduna ran back the way she came to get away from the overpowering heat of the fire. She kept her mind sharp as she moved like the forest dancer she was.

'"_Never forget you are Northuldra."'_

Iduna clutched her scarf to her chest and pushed herself harder. She reached the clearing where the main battle was happening. Both Northuldra and Arendellians alike still fought, but then a massive crash of water hit against the dam like thunder. Everyone started to run for their lives. The air around her started to rage violently while large boulders flew in the sky to land like bombs. Iduna continued to run.

'_The Spirits are angered.' _Iduna observed. _'I need to get out!'_

Iduna pushed her way through the bodies moving in the other direction. The wind blew smoke, leaves, and dirt into her eyes, but she kept moving. She witnessed two men fighting near her. She saw one was the King. He charged at the Northuldra male, but as he collided with him, they were both sent over the edge of the clearing. Iduna dove her body around a tree to give herself a moment to collect herself. Her chest pressed out as far as it could while she took in deep breaths of air.

A large boulder came crashing against the ground near her body. She crunched her body down. Her hands over her head. The rock missed her, but she heard two sounds after it crashed into the ground.

She heard an _'oomph'_ and a loud cracking sound. Iduna quickly spun around the tree to see what the cause was. There, laying in the grass unconscious, was Prince Agnarr. His head against a rock. Iduna gasped at the unmoving boy. Her feet carried her over to his body. Her hands immediately went to cradle his head in her arms.

'_No, please, not him too.'_ Iduna begged.

She pressed her ear to his chest and listened. Relief filled her broken heart at the sound of his beating heart. He still lived, but for how long if he stayed here?

Iduna noticed his face was covered in dirt and not blood. The young Prince held no weapon and there was none around him. He didn't fight with his people against hers. Iduna removed her hand on the back of his head to see what the wetness was. She found fresh blood on her palm. The Prince was wounded.

'_If I leave him here, he will die.'_ Iduna pulled the boys body closer onto her own. _'I've already lost so many; I won't lose anyone else in this fight. But how can I get him out?'_

Iduna searched around herself. She saw a group of Arendellian soldiers grabbing wooden carts. Those would work to get the prince away, but there was nothing there to help her carry the boy's dead weight. He was much too heavy for her to carry by herself, and there was no one around to help her who wouldn't either kill her or him. She rested her head on his with the dread of failure in her heart. There was nothing she could do. The young Prince was going to die in this forest, and she could do nothing to help save him. Another death she would witness.

'"_You have such a pure soul, Iduna."'_

Her mother's voice echoed inside her head.

'"_I often wonder if you're more Magical than Northuldra."'_

Iduna lifted her head from the boy's blond locks and to the sky. The elements were still raged with anger. Her hair flew in all directions, but she took a deep breath.

'_Even in anger would you help me?'_

Her hand cupped around her mouth. Her eyes towards the sky. She sent a plea to the wind.

"Ah, ah."

'_Please.'_

"Ah, ah!"

Iduna pleaded with the Wind Spirit to offer her it's aid. Her eyes closed as a familiar breeze spiraled around her beaten form. She nearly cried, but simply wrapped her arms around the prince to better hold him as their bodies were lifted from the grass. Even as nature still raged around the forest, Iduna was carried across the trees untouched. The Wind Spirit placed them both into the cart before it left her.

She made sure the Prince's head was cushioned on some sacks before placing a cover over him to keep him warm. Just as she was about to disembark from the cart the Wind Spirit pushed her back down.

"What?" Iduna was confused. An Arendellian cover was pulled over her head by the spirit. Iduna went to remove it, but sudden voices made her freeze.

"We found the Prince!"

"Let's get him out of here!"

That's when the wagon started to move. Iduna could feel the speed from the constant bumps the wheels hit. She couldn't see anything through the fabric of her hiding spot, but she guessed she was headed away from the battle. She could hear the voices of the Arendellian fighters urging the horses to move faster.

Iduna took a peek at the Prince to see how he was. He was still unconscious and no change. She gave a sigh of relief that he seemed to be okay. She reached her fingers out to bush dirty hair from his face. He looked so peaceful. So pure. So beautiful. Iduna retreated her hand quickly. Blood was smeared along his forehead from her touch.

There was this sudden feeling of loss in Iduna's soul. It wasn't the same feeling she had when both Trygve and her mother passed before her, no this was something different.

"What is that?!"

She heard one of the soldiers cry out. Iduna lifted the cover enough to get a glimpse of her surroundings. She was outside the Enchanted Forest now. She could see the four ancient columns that represented the spirits magic. A flash in the sky made her look up and gasp. The four symbols of the spirits disappeared from the sky. The deafening roar fell silent as the angry spirits stopped raging.

From the sky, a fog so thick, much thicker than she had ever witnessed, enveloped the forests edge. Iduna watched as the four stones of her home disappeared within the cloud. The spirits had locked everyone from leaving and anyone from entering. Just like in a story her mother had shared once.

Iduna covered her mouth to keep her sobs quiet.

Her home.

Her betrothed.

Her mother.

They were all gone in the matter of a day.

She had gained so much in a few hours. A continued peace between the two lands, a magnificent structure, and it was all taken away in the matter of seconds. Iduna had no idea what went wrong between the two lands, but it had cost her everything in her life. She lost her mother. She lost her family.

There was nothing left for her.

She was completely and utterly alone in an unfamiliar world outside her forest. Iduna looked to the Prince when he groaned.

Well, maybe she was not the only one who lost everything that day.

* * *

_Hello everyone! Thank you for joining me on this journey. I hope you stick around! Now, this story will __obviously follow Iduna and Agnarr as they build their friendship and love together. Both have been through some challenging times. Throughout the story Agnarr needs to face reality of the death of his father and becoming King of Arendelle, while Iduna must endure some very emotional wounds from losing everything she's known._

_I hope you guys continue to read and enjoy this story!_


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two  
_When All is Lost_

_Iduna  
__Spring, April 1814_

**T**he miles and hours crept by like the way an earth worm crawled in the dirt. Every jolt was felt from the wheels. Bruises grew beneath her skin from the endless knocks against the wood of the cart. The last time she had peeked from beneath her cover, the sun had already said goodbye once again. The moon was high in the stars, her body was battered, bloody, and drained, but she refused to let herself slumber. Even after being jerked along for a full day.

She couldn't doze off.

She needed to remain alert incase the Arendellian men decided to notice her tucked around large sacks made of coarse cloth. Sometime during the ride, she wasn't sure around what time of day she had done it, Iduna moved herself away from the Prince's body. She moved the large sacks to create a pocket of space for her to curl into. She still used the Arendellian cloth to cover her head, but now it looked as though she was just another sack among the others. She remained there, quietly tucked into herself, head on her knees, with silent tears a contentious stream.

The way she had adjusted herself still gave her a chance to look at the slumbered Prince Agnarr. She left a gap in the cloth to allow her to look out, but not enough for anyone to see her if they happened to glance at it. The Prince of Arendelle was still oblivious to the world around him; even after a whole night and day had passed by. At first, Iduna worried he had died, but with every rise of his torso gave her assurance he was okay. Even the blood from the back of his head finally stopped soaking into the irritating sack. An Arendellian soldier placed a thick, white wrap around his head to put pressure against the wound.

The wagon gave a large jolt and it knocked her into the side of the wood. She flung her arms from around her legs to keep her face from smacking into it as well. She bit into her lip to keep the grunt silent. It took a few moments for the cart to finally settle from its violent jerks before she was allowed to resume her position. Her cheek pushed into the wool cloth of her trousers, damp from the tears that refused to surrender.

After hours of silence, Iduna's mind decided to wake up. Her body trembled both from the wagon ride and her own grief. An emptiness she no longer wanted to keep locked away, but she swallowed the hard lump before she let her sorrow be welcomed. She needed to wait until she had a chance to slip away from the Arendellian men to release everything swirling around her heart. Men who would surely kill her immediately after noticing her. To them, she was an enemy of Arendelle. A young girl who just turned thirteen, was a nemesis all because of where she was born. Because of a fight she didn't start and was powerless to stop.

Iduna had to hug herself tighter to stop her thoughts. They were starting to take control and she needed to keep control of herself if she was going to continue to live.

She looked over at the Prince when his lips parted from an irritated groan. The cart had given a violent jerk to her right, so her body only hit against the compact sacks instead of the wood. The Prince's body on the other hand had shifted from the position she placed him in. His body fell off onto its side. His clothes wrinkling under the wood. His head fell from the cushioned sack onto a wooden basket that held apples of red.

She watched him closely. His nose, very prominent nose it was, not so much it was considered big, but it was rather long in proportion to the rest of his face. Iduna found it suited him quite well. She watched his nose scrunch up from the sudden movement. His blond brows, thick and unkept, probably from the horror they both had endured, pressed into his eyes. Wrinkles formed on the skin around his eyes and where his nose met his brows.

Then his eyes opened. She was greeted with the sight of his green eyes.

Iduna released a gasp and quickly pushed back as far as she could so he wouldn't notice her. Her hand clamped over her mouth to silence the breath of air. She watched the Prince through the gap in the cloth as he twisted each way.

"Where am I?" He asked. He looked frightened and disoriented.

"Your Highness," an unseen soldier begged, "take it easy."

The Prince reached to touch the cloth through his hair. His glassy eyes looked in a direction she assumed the soldier was in. Iduna watched him with a similar look in her own eyes. The feeling of loss.

"What happened?" His voice sounded so broken.

"Your heads taken a pretty good knock, no doubt by one of those savage Northuldran people. You've been out for an entire cycle of the sun." The soldier spat between his teeth.

A sharp pain struck Iduna's heart at the man's hateful words. He blamed her people for the Prince's injury, but it wasn't true. Her people had not touched him beyond when she had.

"No." The Prince interrupted her mind. "No, it wasn't them. The battle. I remember."

Iduna moved herself closer to the gap to get a clearer view of the conversation happening. She pulled her scarf closer around herself to keep the chill of the night at bay. She didn't want to draw attention to herself by shaking.

"I was thrown back by the force of a falling rock, right after I saw my father hurled off the cliff side. I hit my head, then nothing." He explained further.

Iduna saw the soldier's eyes look at another with misery at the mention of the fallen King. They grieved at his death, just like Iduna grieved for the loss of her people who fell in battle. The souls lost and never to return.

"What happened in that forest?" The Prince's voice cracked and could speak no louder than a whisper. "What went wrong? I remember the joy in everyone. Food and drinks being shared between the two lands. Then there was fighting and death all around me."

It took the soldiers a moment to respond. She waited patiently, because she too was curious about that same question. What had happened in the short few minutes she was with the Wind Spirit to make a war break out?

"We don't know, Your Highness. Most of us here were gathering food from this cart to give to the Northuldra people, then we were attack by them."

Iduna felt the disappointment of the unknown still accompanying that question.

"How did you get on the cart, Prince Agnarr?" A new voice asked from somewhere behind her. She couldn't move enough to get a glance at the man. Was he the one driving?

"What do you mean?" The Prince turned himself halfway to look at the new voice.

"If you had went unconscious from hitting your head, then how did you windup on the cart?"

Iduna held her breath again. She knew how he had, but at the time she didn't fully check to see if he was completely out of it. She had acted quickly with all her focus centered on getting him and herself out of danger. Had he seen her saving him? If he had, would he be grateful and spare her, or would he hold anger because one of her people caused his father's death? She watched his face twist as the wheels orbited in his head.

"There was a voice." He finally said. Her heart stopped. "A melody that wailed. It was so beautiful, but it sounded like it was full of pain as it pleaded through the wind. I don't know what it came from. I never saw it."

He heard her pleading chant to the Wind Spirit. A melody used by her people as a way of giving a warm welcome. Of course, she sent it out as a form of supplication.

"Then I just remember feeling like I was floating before everything went out." The Prince shook his head like he was trying to clear his mind from the thoughts of it. "I figured it was Lieutenant Mattias who carried me. He was right ne-"

Iduna watched as the young Prince looked about him franticly. His eyes moved faster than his head could. For a split second, before she could move back, she thought he had caught sight of her, but he only looked back at the soldier who spoke to him earlier.

"Wait, where is Lieutenant Mattias? Where are the rest of the guards?"

The soldier looked petrified at the Prince's question. He pulled at the collar of his buttoned coat. Iduna wondered if it was sweat she saw on his brow.

"This is the rest of the guards, Your Highness." He answered. "The group you see here is all that's left of the Arendellian guard that accompanied your father and you. Everyone else, they didn't make it out of the forest."

Iduna watched the horror that overtook Prince Agnarr's face. The green of his eyes dulled in the light of the lanterns lit somewhere behind her. He was devastated.

"You left them behind?! How could you do that?!" His voice rose in frustrated anger. "Those men could still be alive, bleeding out in that forest, how can you abandon them like this?!" His body jumped to its feet on the moving cart. His fingers curled into fists so tight his knuckles went pale. "Why aren't we helping them get home?!"

Iduna felt her breath catch at the passion the young Prince had for the men left behind.

"We tried!" A new soldier spoke up. Iduna looked around to see a different soldier next to the one who spoke the most that night. "We tried, Prince Agnarr, but we couldn't get back in the forest."

Prince Agnarr looked at the man like he was crazy. "What do you mean you couldn't get back in?"

He seemed to hesitate and look to the man next to him for help. But the taller man, who carried a lit torch, clapped his lips shut and looked to the ground. He watched his boots stomp along the path.

"When we cleared the entrance to the Enchanted Forest with you," he began to tell the waiting Prince, "something happened. I don't know what it was, but it came from nowhere. A fog. It swallowed the tree line. We tried to get through it, but every time we tried something kept pushing us back. I landed on my back several times before we knew it was hopeless to penetrate it. We were locked out.

"We waited. We waited for what seemed like hours for someone to come running out, but no one ever did. It seems that if we were locked from going in, then it works the other way. No one can go in and no one can come out."

Iduna watched the Prince's face in the flickering light. The anger melted away. He just looked like a wretched child. He dropped to his knees. His heels used as a seat. The knuckles of his hands plopped against the wood of the cart when he went down.

"So, they are trapped in there?" Prince Agnarr asked in a way where he wished to be told he was wrong. But he did not get that answer.

"Yes, Your Highness." The shorter soldier said.

Prince Agnarr just stared at the weathered boards of the cart that continued to move along the path. Iduna watched his shoulders struggle to move in a smooth up and down sweep. They hesitated and jumped. His breathing wasn't going in or out normally. He was upset.

Iduna wanted to reach for his shoulder. To give it a squeeze as reassurance that everything would turn out okay. To pull his head into her shoulder as she hugged him. She would whisper to him that he was not the only one to lose people he cared for in that forest. She wanted to do this for him because at that moment, she desperately wanted it done to her.

"What do we do now?" Prince Agnarr asked after a while of silence.

"Now, we get you back to the safety of Arendelle Castle." The tall soldier, the one holding the torch, spoke in an emotionless tone. "We will have the court physician take a look at your wounds then you are to rest."

"What about the kingdom? The throne?"

"Prince Agnarr, we will take care of that once you are looked at and rested. The council will gather in the Throne Room later when you have some of your strength back."

Iduna listened to their conversation with great confusion. She had no idea what they were talking about. What was a council? What was a Throne Room? She could gather that it must be an important room in the castle by the way they talked about it. Was the council important as well?

"For now, you should just rest, Your Highness. We passed by the North Mountain some time ago. It shouldn't be much longer before we get out of this forest and to the farmland of Arendelle."

Iduna's eyes nearly popped from her head upon hearing that information. They would be in Arendelle soon?

'_What am I gonna do? I can't hide on this cart all the way to Arendelle. They will surely find me.'_ Iduna felt herself start to panic. She had to find a way off the cart without any of them seeing her. _'If I'm spotted, I'll be killed. What should I do?'_ She started to glance around herself to get options on what to do. So far, she was only surrounded by itchy sacks of apples. She could throw one to cause a distraction, but not long enough for her to slip by unnoticed. _'Come on, Iduna, you spent your whole life getting out of troubles, this time is no different.'_

"I've rested enough, Birger." Prince Agnarr spoke in a toneless voice. "How far do you think until we reach Arendelle?"

"Should be by sunrise, Your Highness. I can see the kingdom below." It wasn't either guard who answered. Iduna guessed it was the driver of the cart.

"Then, I'll walk the rest of the way." Prince Agnarr moved himself to the edge of the cart; ready to disembark.

"Prince Agnarr you are still injured." The soldier, Birger, pleaded. "You should stay on the cart."

"I wish to walk, Birger, it'll help clear my head." Prince Agnarr slipped himself off the cart right as it stopped moving.

Iduna heard his feet land on the ground. She heard shoes shuffle in the dirt and rocks, more than one set of shoes. She peeked through the gap to see the guards and the Prince head towards the front of the cart.

'_This is my chance!'_

With the cart still unmoving, Iduna quickly and quietly moved one of the sacks just enough for her body to slip through. She crawled on her hands to the end of the cart. Her body as low as she could get it. She kept her eyes focused. Keeping watch if someone would come, but they all stayed before the wagon. Iduna swung her legs over the drop, and just as her feet plopped into the dirt, the wagon started to move away.

She clutched her scarf to her chest and ran to a nearby tree. She pressed her body into the bark and finally let her lungs release its air. The creaking of the cart was duller in sound, so Iduna turned her body just enough to get a look at the road it traveled. They continued without her. She had slipped away without being noticed. When there was only the glow of the lights left, Iduna stepped back onto the path and watched until there was nothing left.

For the first time since she got onto that cart, Iduna could see the world around her, and what she saw was incredible. In the distance she could see tall forms. She saw what could only be the Arendelle Castle. It was so much bigger than she pictured from her mother's stories. She could only imagine its size if you stood right before it. It was magnificent to see as the moon gleamed off the fjord that sounded its tall structure. The village that wrapped around the castle was huge. So much bigger than her camps back in the Enchanted Forest.

Their homes weren't like the ones she grew up in at all. While hers had always been small and circular in shape, the people who lived in Arendelle favored tall and square shaped. Their homes were much closer together than her people like to put them.

'_It's even better than I imagined it to be.'_

Iduna only spent a few more moments looking at the kingdom in the distance, before she finally took a look around herself.

She was surrounded by trees, a feeling of familiarity, but these trees weren't the same as from her home. They only reminded her she was much farther south than she had ever been. Iduna heaved a sigh and began to walk deeper into the forest.

She held her scarf securely around her shoulders as she weaved past trunks. The sounds of this forest were not like hers. She could her an echo of a _'hoot'_ coming from somewhere and everywhere at the same time. There was a constant _'chirp'_ that refused to silence itself. It started to make her ears ring. She tucked her hands beneath her scarf to keep them warm and trudged on.

She worked to block out the annoying sounds, but in doing so it opened her mind to the darkness that had been threatening her. A darkness she worked hard to keep away.

Her mind took her back to the battle.

She could hear the echoes their weapons made when they hit against wood. She could recall the sound they made when being swung through the wind. It was like they whistled off the trees. The horrifying screams and sloshing she heard from both Northuldra and Arendellians as weapons sliced into their skin. Her eyes began to blur.

Trygve.

Trygve had jumped in front of her to protect her from the Arendellian soldier. He pushed her out of the way to save her. But at what cost? Iduna's mind relived the way he had died.

She recalled the sound the weapon made when it plunged into Trygve's mouth. There was a high-pitched sound, like the metal scrapping against his teeth as it entered. His eyes had been wide when the blade tore into him. There was so much of his blood coming from his mouth. It reflected around the blade and trapped her body. He had started to choke on both the weapon and his own blood. Iduna remembered how helpless she felt as he slowly died a few feet from her.

Iduna grabbed the sides of her head. Her fingers tangling her hair. Her nails scraped against her scalp.

'_Go away.'_ She begged. Tears built on her lashes.

Her mother's body came next. A vivid picture of her lying in the middle of their home. The dagger her mother used to carve wood was buried deep in her stomach. The Arendellians had used her own knife to kill her. The amount of blood around her paled body was greater than what had come from Trygve. It stained her wool clothing. It stained the palettes they slept on. Iduna could feel her mother's palm from when she touched her cheek. She remembered how the warmth faded quickly from her skin. How the life from her mother's body drained out of her right before her eyes and her arm became nothing but a heavy weight.

Iduna crumbled to her knees. Her fingers balled into fists as she hunched over in the dirt.

'_Go away!'_ Iduna screamed.

The first set of tears fell down her cheeks. To her chin where they dripped into the dirt.

'_I don't want to remember! Please.'_

There was a loud and pitched howl in the distance that startled Iduna from her sobs. That was a sound she did recognize. It was a wolf.

Her heart slammed in her chest both from her sobs and from the fear. She got up from the dirt and started to run through the forest; in the direction of Arendelle. Each breath like a sharp knife as she willed her legs to move faster. The wolf howled again, but this time it was from further away, but Iduna didn't stop running. She held her hands out to push low branches from her face. She raced past the army of trees that cast long and creeping shadows along the ground.

She heard leaves and twigs snap under her feet and hoped it wouldn't draw the wolf's attention. As she continued to run, she listened, but she didn't hear another howl. She must have gotten far enough away. She glanced back to convince herself that was the case. Her eyes, blurred as they were, saw nothing casing her. She was alone in the woods.

Alone.

Iduna didn't turn her head back in time to stop herself from tripping over a raised tree root. Her footing was lost from the speed she gained, and the root caused her balance to shift uneven. Her arms flew out to catch her. Both her palms and knees collided into the soggy ground, scrapping against leaves and branches. A stinging pain originated from her palms after the initial shock wore off. She pushed herself up so her feet held her weight. She brought her hands to her eyes and just stared at them.

They were covered in damp mud. Leaves glued to her skin. Twigs stuck in her skin. She had new scrapes along the bottom of her palms, but that was not why she stared at them with a trembling lip. Her hands, from her fingertips to her wrists, were covered in dried blood.

And Iduna lost it.

Her screams vibrated her throat so much her voice didn't last long. Her eyes burned from the flow of salted tears that dripped off her lashes. Her sobs nearly overcame her as they all tried to escape at one time. Iduna folded her hands into her chest as she made herself as small as possible by the tree she tripped over that had roots hanging over a forest creek.

Iduna had seen dark before. When her father had passed from an illness that could not be cured, she cried. She had cried for days as she mourned his loss at a young age of five. That darkness she felt at that time was nothing compared to what she experienced now. It is a coldness that makes her tremble violently. It is an emptiness she cannot seem to fill with her screams. This darkness has left her utterly and completely empty. The lights in her soul are out and she was ready for the darkness to consume her. She was ready to succumb.

'_Mother?'_ Iduna untucked her hands from her chest to look at them again. _'What should I do now? How do I find my way without you? You've gone to a place I can't follow you to.'_ Her voice broke from a sob. _'This grief has a gravity over me, and it pulls me down. I can't find my direction, I'm lost.'_

Her fingers start to scrub against each other.

'_It's like I'm stumbling blindly in a random direction, and I can't find my way back to the light. You've left me all alone, mother. You've left me alone with nothing but a voice that whispers in my mind.'_ Iduna crawled her way, more like stumbling blindly, to the creeks edge. _'What do I do when the dawn comes?'_

For the first time in nearly two days, Iduna looked at her reflection that stared back at her in the water. She looked nothing like the girl she had seen two days ago. Her hair was a knotted mess, more so than normal. Her fingers brush over clumped strands to find blood had dried in her brown locks. Her braids loose and in need of redoing. From her hair she moved to her face.

There was a cut on her forehead that had already started to scab over. How she got it, she would never know. She didn't remember feeling it happen. Her cheeks had spots of blood dried in random spots, but around her mouth was were most had been placed. She guessed it was from her own hands when the blood was wet. Her neck was splattered on one side with more blood. Iduna started to cry again. All the blood, it belonged to her people. Her mother's blood. Trygve's blood. She even had Prince Agnarr's blood on her.

Her breathing went faster as she sunk her hands into the slow flowing water. She moved her numb and shaken fingers over her hands to scrub off the dried blood. As spots went from scarlet to pale, Iduna started to scrub harder. All of her exhaustion and anger finally surfacing. She choked out screams as she scrubbed it all away.

She flung water around. Scooping it onto her face. Splashing her hair to get the blood off her. She wanted it off her, but it wasn't happening fast enough and that only made her more upset. Iduna dug her hands into the mud and rocks of the creeks bed as she moved deeper into the water. The legs of her pants soaked up the chilled water. Her boots became heavier as the water slipped around her toes. With her body deeper in the creek, she scrubbed at her skin franticly. Her nails scratched against her skin leaving marks on her neck. She pulled against her hair as she ripped it free of its braids and the tie. As she scrubbed against her hair, she pulled strands so hard they came free from her scalp and flowed down with the river. As did the blood she washed away.

Once the water had settled from her movement, Iduna saw she was no longer painted in blood but only water. Her tunic was still stained, but it was faded to a more pinkish color than maroon. Her bodies tensed muscles finally relaxed and her arms couldn't hold her up as high.

Softer tears started to flow down her wet cheeks. A mixture of salt and fresh river water dripped off her chin and then drifted away from her.

Her blue eyes mixed with gray, were not the same as she had seen many times before. They were deeply red and puffy. They had a glassy like layer over them. Heavy purple bruises stood out just under her lashes. Iduna took a deep breath and sat up so that only her hips down were still in the water.

It took a moment, but the water settled once more, and this time she focused on the fabric that was thrown over her shoulders. The scarf was large on her small body she noticed, but she guessed she would grow into it. Her mother had chosen a reddish-purple for her color. Her mother had hand stitched the elemental signs of the spirits in multiple snowflakes as her own scarf had. Iduna carefully played with the deep purple fringe that hug down her arms.

That scarf was all she had left of her mother. All she had left to hold the memories of her childhood. Of her people.

Iduna looked back to her reflection in the water as a breeze from the North washed over her soaked hair.

"_Where the north wind, meets the sea," _Iduna half sang and half spoke the words of her mother's lullaby with a broke voice, _"there's a mother, full of memory. Come, my darling, homeward bound."_

Induna let her sobs out as she hugged her arms around herself. Barely able to get the words out.

"_When all is lost, then all is found."_

* * *

_Bellac27- Thank you. I'm glad you liked the last chapter so much! I hope you like this one as well._

_The Committee X- We will eventually get to see Agnarr's reaction from Iduna telling him her secret, but that might be a few chapters away._

_The next chapter will be in a different perspective than Iduna's. Time to see things from a different set of eyes. Hope you enjoyed and see you in the next post._


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three  
_From a Prince to a King_

_Prince Agnarr  
__Spring, April 1814_

**W**hen the sunlight graced the horizon with its warmth, Agnarr's feet finally touched the cliffs where the farmland of Arendelle's Capital began. He had finally made it home. After nearly four days away from the kingdom's heart, Agnarr should have felt relief, but he didn't feel anything at all. His black, leather boots positioned his body just a few inches away from the drop of the cliff.

He watched the sun creep higher above the fjord. The rays of deep orange shone just like they had the early afternoon of the celebration. Just like they had when he saw his father get flung off the cliff side; the Northuldra male gone with him.

Prince Agnarr thought it was a trick from his injured skull, but the translucent form of his father appeared at the cliffs edge. He was fighting against the Northuldra again. Agnarr watched, motionless, as his father swung his sword down against the wood the Northuldra used to block his attack. King Runeard pressed his blade against the piece of wood as he tried to use his weight, but the Northuldra used that against him. Agnarr watched as the figure of his father was thrown over the edge once again.

'_Father!'_

He stumbled back from the cliff as the clear sound of his echoed cry played in his ears. Agnarr stared at the ground in confusion and disbelief. His breathes came in sharper and out louder.

'_What had just happened?'_ he asked as his eyes started to move around the dirt searching like it held the answers.

"Are you alright, Prince Agnarr?" Birger asked, startling the young boy.

Prince Agnarr turned himself around to give the Captain his full attention. He still felt his confusion was evident in his eyes, but he got control of his rapid breathing. "Yes, of course. Everything is fine. Just a headache." He played it off smoothly.

Birger gave him a swift nod. "Once we get you back to the castle, Sten will look you over and give you something for the pain. Then you can finally rest."

"Alright. Then we better keep going." Prince Agnarr gave the cliff side one last look before he started down the side of the mountain. Prince Agnarr led the way of the group. The fifteen or so guards that had made it out followed closely behind him.

Everyone fell into a silence that made Agnarr way to aware of his wits. He could hear the scuffle of their feet against the pebbles in the dirt path. He could hear the water lapping against the rocks down below. He could hear the morning breeze whistle through the wheat that was nearly ready to harvest. He heard the squeal from one of the wheels of the wagon that traveled close behind. It started to make his head vibrate. He didn't even realize his hand had lifted to his hair to try and sooth it.

"Perhaps you should rest in the wagon, Prince Agnarr." Birger spoke up. As the Captain of the Royal Guard he had a tendency to over worry about the monarchy's safety. Although that should be what the Royal family wants in the ones who protect their legacy and their home, but Agnarr found it rather annoying to be fussed over; especially after the few days he's had.

"I'm fine, Birger."

"You look quite pale, Your Highness." He pressed.

Agnarr admired his persistence, it had saved him from many troubles as a boy, but right now he wanted nothing more than to shout at him to shut up. His voice was incredibly loud, and it made his head throb.

"I said, I'm fine." Agnarr stopped his feet to give the Captain a glance.

Birger took that as a sign, he said nothing further on the matter of his wellbeing. He only gave a simple nod before he chose to look towards the fields. Agnarr turned to look behind him at the rest of the sentinels that followed the path.

Most of them looked as though they had been through hell and back. Agnarr guessed the battle could be compared to that. There had been walls of fire. Waves unnaturally large that pushed them apart. Winds so strong you couldn't shove against it. Rocks had come falling from the sky. They had all come from an elemental hell. Their uniforms, that were usually kept in top condition, had fabric ripped in several different places among each. Sleeves had been sliced through and hung down their arms by threads. Tears nearly to the belt that held their sheathed swords. Trousers had missing cloth that left holes to expose the skin of their legs.

Most of the men and woman either limped or had to be half carried along the path. Their clothing not only damaged, but they also had dried blood stained in the green and purple fabric. Agnarr wondered if the blood was from the Northuldra people or their own.

"Sten should treat these militias before me." Agnarr spoke out loud.

Birger turned his body to look at his fellow men and women. "Your Highness, you are our top priority right now. With the loss of your father, being his only heir, you are Arendelle's next King. You will take over the responsibility of governing the land and its people. Your health is of great importance."

Agnarr took in the Captain's words with great depth. He was right, as he often was, and that always annoyed Agnarr. His father was dead, Agnarr knew that, but he was not the only one who would feel that loss. The Royal Guard lost a great monarch. The people of Arendelle had lost their beloved King, of course they didn't know that yet.

"Captain," Agnarr held down the growing ache in his chest, "once we return to the castle, we need to send one of the castle guards out to every village in the kingdom. With a proclamation informing of the King's death. That the people should enter a period of mourning not only for my father, but for the soldiers we lost as well."

"I shall see that it gets done, Your Highness."

"Thank you."

Agnarr turned on the heel of his worn boots and started on the windy road called Vindmolleveien around the perimeter of farmland. He could see the windmill turning just down the road. Beyond that, Agnarr could see the large clock tower on Klokkegate street. All they had to do was travel this ribbon like path down to Hoydegate. Pass by Kongeligplas. Through Borgbro, or Market Square, and across the bridge to the castle. That sounded like forever and a day in his head. Prince Agnarr's shoulders sagged a bit from the thought of his mapping.

No longer at the head of the group, Agnarr followed alongside the wagon he had spent most of the trip home in. The only sounds that came from the wounded guards around him were groans or occasional grunts of protest. He glanced at the pair of militias next to him. A female with braided black hair was being assisted by a larger male. Her right arm dangled limply at her side. Her fingers paled compared to her face, but Agnarr noticed the dried flows of blood along her fingers. Her attention was caught by his gasp and she gave him a forced smile.

"Don't vex, Your Highness. A dislocated shoulder and a few cuts are nothing compared to other injuries I've had." Although she tried to play it off, Agnarr could see her pain.

"We'll be at the castle soon." Was all he could say. His stomach threatened to come undone if he said any more. He turned back to look ahead.

Prince Agnarr didn't say another word. Birger didn't say another word. None of the other guards said another word. They all remained silent together.

With the sun getting higher, the people of Arendelle began to rise as well. The farmland was being tended by owners of the land. Father's teaching their son's the ways around the farm. Women either washing or hanging the laundry to dry on the stringed rope. Agnarr tried his hardest to not look their way. It proved a challenge when he started to hear the voices ask questions. He pushed on with his teeth in his bottom lip. When they reached the hilled street of Hoydegate there were more people. Some were just walking from their homes with others already headed to the Market Square. Almost all of the villagers stopped to stare when the guards tottered down the street. The gasps, the worried voices, and the looks all made Agnarr want to disappear. The crowd only grew larger.

As he walked through Kongeligplas, or Royal Square, to his left of Hoydegate and finally to the Market Square, Agnarr knew almost the whole village was following around the group. He could still hear their whispered questions to the villager next to them. When he was nearly to the bridge that connected Market Square and the Arendelle Castle, Prince Agnarr made a mistake.

He stopped his feet and looked at the villagers with full attention. Agnarr was suddenly surrounded with questions he couldn't understand.

"Your Highness, what-"

"-in the Enchanted-"

"Where is the-"

"-Runeard?"

"-in the north-"

Prince Agnarr didn't know who to look at. His green eyes wide with disconcert, moving from one face to the next. Features started to blur together, and then everyone looked the same. His hands went up before him as a form of barrier when the crowd started to close in.

"What a minute." Agnarr spoke, but his words drowned in the clutter of questions.

"-you okay?"

"-wrong with your-"

"Did the guards fight-"

Agnarr startled when a large hand clapped his shoulder. The fingers tightened their grip on his shoulder blade. Prince Agnarr looked up to find Captain Birger stood next to him. His shoulders held back, his neck straightened from his head being held high, and his expression calm and controlled. The complete opposite of how Agnarr held himself. Upon seeing Birger's stance, he had to wonder if the Captain was in pain. He saw earlier he favored his left side.

Birger raised his free hand to get the villagers to calm. "We understand you have questions and concerns. Right now, they will all have to wait until Prince Agnarr has been looked over by the court physician, the soldiers tended too, and the Prince has regained some strength. The moment the Prince has collected himself, your questions will all be answered. We ask that you continue your day until further updates."

Princes Agnarr lowered his head in shame. Captain Birger quickly turned Agnarr around and had walked him across the bridge to the opened castle gates.

"Well, I already failed at my first duty as King." Agnarr sighed.

"You are disoriented, confused, and unwell, Your Highness." Captain Birger said nothing more on the subject.

Agnarr just watched the cobble stones pass by him as his boots moved across the bridge. It didn't take but a moment or two before he was through the gates. Once the doors to the castle finally came into view, Agnarr's body lost all energy.

His arms lay limp by his sides with no strength to let them swing. His head felt like a weight too heavy for his shoulders. His legs couldn't even lift off the ground to walk across the courtyard, they shuffled. His eyes began to sting and each time his lids fell down they got harder to open again. Agnarr wanted nothing more than to fall into his plush bed and sleep for the next couple days.

The castle doors swung open, which was hard to do since they were pure solid wood, and several advisors, staff, and Lord Peterssen came rushing out towards them. Agnarr was crowded once again. The advisors circled around him with questions overlapping each other, and Agnarr didn't know whose to answer first. The staff went straight for the wounded guards to offer them their aid. Lord Peterssen, a young lad only four years older than he was and his father's most trusted adviser, and Kai, Agnarr's personal attendant, came the closest to him. Kai started to fuss over him. Lord Peterssen knelt to Agnarr's level.

"Your Highness, are you alright? What happened to you?" Everyone else around Prince Agnarr stopped their panicked mouths to listen.

Prince Agnarr started to lose his composure. His eyes blurred as the memories flashed back into his mind. "I don't know what happened."

Which was the truth, he didn't.

"Everything happened so fast. I remember peace and charming shows." His lip trembled, but he held down his cries. "Then the Northuldra were attacking us. I looked away for a moment then there was nothing but violence. Lives taken away. It got worse when the spirits became angry."

Lord Peterssen took a sharp intake of air. "And what of the King? Your father, where is he?"

Prince Agnarr could hardly look into Lord Peterssen's eyes. His only answer to that question was a single tear down his cheek with a broken cry. He watched as the Lord's face fell into his chest at the silent news.

"May his soul rest in peace." His face was somber when it lifted back up.

Agnarr could hear people break into a cry. Giving prayers for their fallen King. Agnarr felt his throat constrict and breathing became harder. His mouth went dry and the ringing in his ears started again. His throbbing head made the area spin. Everything was closing in on him. The crying and sobbing grew increasingly louder. He felt Kai wrap an arm around him, steadying him. When had his legs stopped wanting to hold him up?

Lord Peterssen's eyes were wet when Agnarr focused on him again. "I can't imagine what you must be feeling, Your Highness. To lose your father at such a young, impressionable age must be very difficult. I'm sorry, Agnarr."

"Thank you, Lord Peterssen." Agnarr held his breath to keep his sobs down.

'_A King never loses control of his emotions. He is calm. He is composed. He is stern.'_

Lord Peterssen looked at the boy, Kai, who still had his arm around Prince Agnarr. "Summon Sten. Tell him he is needed in Prin-_King_ Agnarr's chambers immediately, then he is needed in the Guard's Quarters."

Agnarr's eyes felt like they had nearly fallen from his face when he was addressed with the title of King. His feet unknowingly stepped back until Kai's hand disappeared from his shoulder. His head slowly shook. His world starting to spin faster. Agnarr watched as everyone around him, the staff, the guards, the advisors, all bowed their heads toward him. Showing their respect for their new King of Arendelle.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Lord Peterssen reached an arm out to him, but it only made Agnarr step back further. The new title made his stomach twist on itself.

"_No_." Agnarr's voice was rough.

Lord Peterssen swallowed hard and retreated his arm. His lower lip started to quiver. "Your Majesty, perhaps we should get you inside."

"No." Agnarr repeated.

Everything was finally hitting him. Agnarr knew his father was gone, lost in the Enchanted Forest never to return. Agnarr knew that with his death, being his father's only heir, he would assume the throne as King. But the moment he was addressed with the title given to a King, all lessons in proper behavior left him.

"No."

There was an almost inaudible whisper in his ear.

His body had the sudden feeling of bursting into a million pieces, exploding like a fire would. His father was dead. His only remaining family gone in a single blink. Without him, Agnarr was truly alone in the world. Another tear fell down his cheek, followed by another, and then another. His breath became ragged from the sob that broke past his throat and his heart banged against his chest. His body trembled from…Agnarr couldn't figure that out. Was he shaking from grief or was it anger that his father was dead?

"_No!_"

'_Ah, ah.'_

Agnarr's feet turned him around so quickly it took him a moment to regain his balance. His distorted vision searched around him to find the source of a call so familiar to him. A call much louder in his ear than an instant ago.

'_Ah, ah!'_

He heard it. The eerie melody sounded like it was right next to him, but when he looked there was no one but Lord Peterssen and the rest.

"Prince Agnarr?" Kai's worried voice echoed around in his head along with the haunting voice.

The call came again then again with a much smaller gap in-between the one before it. Kai's voice mixed in and he was no longer able to distinguish which sound came from who. His head spun faster. Lord Peterssen's mouth began to move, but he didn't hear what he said. More and more sounds started to mix together and Agnarr's head pulsed with a painful ache. His hands went into his hair, fingers pulled at the bandage around his head. The tucked end fell out and the stained cloth dropped to the ground. His stomach could no longer hold down the storm, and he heaved in the courtyard. All condense of his stomach spread out on the cobblestone.

"Your Majesty!"

"Agnarr!"

"Someone catch him!"

Agnarr saw Kai and Lord Peterssen both reach out for his body at the same time after he had stopped retching. His indistinct sight went smaller and smaller. His body felt weightless for a short period of time until something hard jerked his arms and the back of his head smacked into something solid.

Then everything was swallowed into obscurity.

* * *

_Bellac27- I'm so glad you liked the last chapter and you are enjoying this story so far! It means a lot to hear from you!_

_Well this chapter wasn't as long, but that is okay! We got to peek inside Agnarr's head. Like Iduna, he has some struggles to overcome. I hope you all had wonderful holidays with family. I am out of town for the weekend, but I will be working on Chapter Four while I'm here. Hope you all enjoyed and see you in the next update!_


	5. Chapter Four

I apologize for the long wait for this chapter, with the holiday's I didn't have much time to write as I hoped, and then I had car troubles. But, I feel confident in this chapter now. It was missing something, but I feel I have found it. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Four  
_The Memorial and The Kneippbrød_

_King Agnarr  
__Spring, April 1814_

_**E**verything was so green. So lush and vibrant, it was like nothing he had seen before down in Arendelle. Arendelle was beautiful, truly, with its open fields, tall mountains, and bluest of waters, but the forest around Agnarr made him feel like it really was enchanted. Like he had stepped into another world beyond the one he knew. Agnarr was excited to find out if it was real._

_His father, King Runeard, had explained what was in the Enchanted Forest before they set out into the mountains, but Agnarr had thought his father was just pulling his leg. Magic was just in stories told to children. His childhood nanny had told him many over the years of his youth, but they were just that. Stories. Magic was fantasy. Until he had arrived in the Enchanted Forest._

_He hadn't seen anything magical happen since he arrived a little over an hour ago, but he felt something special about the air around him. It didn't feel normal as his hair was rustled from its perfect comb back. He's had a smile since they passed by the large four stone monoliths that marked the entrance, but it grew larger from the astonishment that swelled in his chest. Surrounded by Arendellian guards and his father, Agnarr tried to keep himself still and proper, but he was too excited. He started to look around him._

_He watched the Northuldra people cross over the newly built dam. He saw the reindeer that mixed among the group of hundreds. Children were screaming in excitement. Adults marveled in amazement. And Agnarr focused more on the movement of the tall grass around him._

"Keep your head tall, Agnarr." _King Runeard's gloved hand flicked beneath his chin and Agnarr straightened his body again. _"Remember as Prince you represent Arendelle."_ The look his father gave him was one he had seen often. Agnarr knew better than to challenge it. He sealed his lips shut._ "And mind Lieutenant Mattias."

_Agnarr watched his father leave with his own personal guard to talk with the Northuldra leader. Agnarr felt the disappointment in his heart. Once again, his father wanted him to act more royal, like a representative instead of the young boy he was. And again, he was left behind while his father got to talk with the elder. Prince Agnarr tried to keep his disappointed sigh to himself, but Mattias heard._

_Lieutenant Mattias stepped up beside Agnarr and gave him a shove with his shoulder. _"You're getting taller. Stop that." _Mattias mused. Agnarr's smile returned to his cheeks and he jabbed him back. _"Eh, I'm just kidding. Come on. Let's go down to the celebration."

_Prince Agnarr locked his arm with Mattias' and they both jockeyed for position in their playful wrestling match on the way down to the meadow._

"_Ah-ah-ah-ah."_

_Agnarr dug a heel of his boot into the dirt as he turned around. He heard it. It was that same voice he heard before. It was as beautiful as he remembered._

'What is that?' He wondered.

_He turned back to ask Mattias if he had heard it too, but when he looked around, he was alone. Lieutenant Mattias, the other Arendellian guards, and the Northuldra were gone._

"_Ah-ah-ah-ah."_

_He turned his body around once more to try and find where the beautiful but eerie melody came from. As his eyes searched, he saw nothing but the trees. His feet began to carry him deeper into the trees to try and find the source. While his feet moved him further into the army of white barked trees, he only came across grass, bushes, and freshly bloomed flowers. He waited. Agnarr continued to turn his head while he waited for the voice to come again, but it didn't sing its haunting voice._

_Figuring he wouldn't hear it again, he began to make his way back to the celebration. Not even five steps before he heard metal clapping against something wooden and the hard grunts that came with hurried movements. Agnarr felt his eyes open more at the sudden noise. His torso twisted to look behind him. He saw his father fighting against the Northuldra Leader._

'No! Not again!'_ Agnarr's boots flew him across the grass towards his father to offer him his aid. But…he didn't make it. _"Father!" _His father and the Northuldra Leader went over the edge._

_Something was different this time, as he got closer to the cliff side a wall of unnatural colored fire didn't block his path. He skidded to a stop just before the edge and peered over. Agnarr saw his father's mangled body lay on the rocks by the water's waves. He screamed in horror at the sight of the blood. There was a sharp point from a bolder that had plunged itself through his father chest. Blood stained his green Arendellian uniform. The fabric was torn apart and one of his father's boots was missing. His father's eyes were closed, but his mouth open. Blood was pooled around his teeth, slipped from the corners of his lips, and dripped off his ears to the rocks beneath him. His face was pale under the blood spatter that nearly matched the color of his hair._

_Prince Agnarr stumbled back from the cliff, his hands trembling before his mouth. A stifled sob vibrated his throat as it escaped his lips. His legs crumbled beneath him. His knees scraped in the dirt and his heels dug into his backside. He sat there, surrounded by grass and flowers, with inhalations drowning him._

'_Ah-ah-ah-ahh-ah-ah'_

_He could hear the voice again._

'_Ah-ah-ah-ah'_

_Agnarr still felt the river of tears on his cheeks as he lifted his head from his hands._

Knock, knock.

"Hello?" _Agnarr called out with a raspy voice._ "Who's there?"

Knock, knock.

_He could hear the echo of a tapping sound. It sounded nothing nature like. It sounded as if someone's knuckles tapped against a trees wood. His legs, shaken beyond control, pushed his body from the ground until he was standing in the center of the woods. He stood there nervous before he called out again._

"Is someone there?"

"_Your Majesty?"_

_The voice sounded so familiar to him. He knew that voice even though it sounded like it spoke to him underwater. His brows lowered in confusion and he wondered if the two voices were one in the same. He took a step forward._

'_Ah-ah-ah-ahh-ah-ah.'_

_The call was much louder around him. He should have been able to see who it came from, but he remained alone in the Enchanted Forest._

Knock, knock. _"Sire, are you awake?"_

_Agnarr could defiantly tell the voices he was hearing came from two separate people. One male and the other female. The males voice belonged to someone he knew. Someone he was close with. It wasn't his father. Why couldn't he recall the name?_

'_Ah-ah!'_

"_Your Majesty?"_

'_Ah-ah!'_

"_Your Majesty?"_

_The two voices started mixing together. The calling voice and the male who kept calling out his title. Agnarr covered his ears from the vulgar mingling voices. He could hardly tell them apart by the time he fell to his knees again and his eyes clapped shut. He pressed his palms as hard against his ears as he could, but it seemed hopeless to stop the sound. They kept getting louder. Agnarr tried humming to drown out the voices that circled around his head._

'_Ah-ah,'_

"_Your Majesty?"_

'_ah-ah,'_

"_Your Majesty?"_

'_ah-ah,'_

Agnarr's eyes snapped open, his upper body sprang up from the mattress, and the quilt over his body fell into his lap. His breathing labored from the nightmare. Agnarr looked around his childhood room, lit only by the dying fire in the corner hearth, until his mind cleared from the vivid dream. Once he was calm, Agnarr hunched over to press his elbows in his thighs. His sweating palms pushed damp hair from his forehead. He stared into his lap with his eyes filling with tears. The heaviest sigh deflated his sweaty chest.

'_Today's the day, Agnarr.' _He spoke to himself.

His head turned to look out the window in the center of the far wall. The curtains blocked most of the view, but the natural light outside seeped through the bottom and highlighted the plum cushion of the window seat. He was drawn to stare as shadows crossed the fabric.

'_You need to be strong. Head held high. Shoulders stiff and square.' _Agnarr told himself. _'You mustn't show weakness. You must show Arendelle how strong their Prince is.'_

Agnarr blinked after his mind stopped speaking to him. What was he saying? Where had those thoughts come from? He realized it wasn't his own voice that spoke to him, it was his father's that reprimanded him.

Agnarr had turned his head from the window to look at the portrait of his parents that was suspended on the wall by the hearth._ 'Even in death I still want nothing but to please you.'_

_Knock, knock._

"Sire?" Kai's voice came from the other side of the white doors to his chambers. "Are you awake now?"

Agnarr rubbed his hands down his face, harshly. He pulled his skin downward in the process of removing the sweat, he tossed his quilt and saturated sheets aside then climbed out of the canopied bed. His bare toes felt the embroiderd rug beneath his bed as he crossed the small space between the bed and the doors. He grabbed the door handle and pulled it down the same time he rubbed sleep from his eye with a fist.

"Sorry to wake you, Sire." Kai looked at him with a sheepish grin.

He saw his personal attendant fully dressed in his everyday uniform of green and purple, Arendelle's official kingdom colors. He held a silver tray with both hands before him. Agnarr saw the plate that held grapes and apple slices, a few cheese squares, and a single buttered biscuit; one of his favorite types of bread. There were two separate glasses on the tray, one filled with water and the other juice. Agnarr took notice, as Kai walked past him to enter, the small dish that held a piece of chocolate.

"It's quite alright, Kai, I know today's a big day." Agnarr said with a yawn.

Kai placed the tray of breakfast food on the round, wooden table near the hearth. Agnarr shut the door and made his way across to sit in one of the two chairs to begin eating. Kai busied himself while Agnarr began to fill his belly. Agnarr's eyes followed the older man as he popped grapes into his mouth.

Kai pulled open the teal curtains to invite the natural light in, Agnarr had to squint his eyes until after a few blinks to adjust his senses. Agnarr saw that the sun was blocked by thick, dark clouds of deep steel.

'_Perfect environment for today's setting.' _Agnarr mused.

After the curtains had been opened, Kai moved to the bed. Agnarr was never a rough sleeper, his bed was usually simple to remake, but he saw Kai hesitate when he reached the bedside. Agnarr bit into the butter biscuit, knowing that Kai saw the sweat marks caused by the thrashing from his nightmare. Kai began to undress the mattress. He stripped the sheets, pillowcases, and his quilt then placed them in the lone, woven basket kept in the corner. Agnarr knew he would be taking it to the wash once he finished tending to him.

"Are you still suffering from night terrors, Your Majesty?" Kai wondered.

"I thought I had finally moved on from them." Agnarr replied after he washed down both a piece of biscuit and cheese with some juice. "It's been nearly two weeks since the trip up north. I should be over these dreams."

Kai moved to start tending to the dying embers of the hearth. The room's temperature had dropped in the night even though it was spring. The kingdom still experienced cooler nights and that would continue until late spring. With his breakfast nearly gone, Agnarr found he was satisfied and ate no more. He watched Kai place new logs on top of the burnt ones.

"Should I obtain more of those herbs from Sten?" Kai asked. "They seemed to help you sleep well the first few nights after your return."

"If you feel it is necessary, Kai. You've always known best." Agnarr scooted the chair legs against the wooden floor which seemed to startle Kai and made him jump in his direction. Agnarr gave him an apologetic smile. Kai resumed his work on the fire after a single nod.

"I'll have Sten prepare something for you to use later, Your Majesty. You still need your rest from your injuries."

Agnarr watch the rounder man work to get the flames started again. "My injuries are fine, Kai. I'm fine. I stopped getting those headaches days ago. I'm fine. Perfect. Fit as a fiddle as Mattias used to say." He plastered a grin to his cheeks after his ramble.

Kai stood up straight after getting the fire going strong and faced the young King. "And just who are you trying to convince more, Sire? You or me?"

Agnarr didn't give him an answer. He just turned his head to the side and stared at the floor with a long face. The palm of his hand twisted into the wood of the chairs back from his nerves.

"I had a few staff prepare a bath for you in the dressing room." Kai informed him, clearly dropping their previous subject which gave Agnarr some peace. "I will finish tidying up your chambers. Just call out if you need anything."

Agnarr gave Kai a nod as response and a form of thanks. His bare feet carried his body to the solid white door decorated with green, blue, and yellow rosemaling patterns.

"Oh, and just so you know," Kai's voice came from behind him and Agnarr turned to his friend, "two weeks is not that long. No one will expect you to be over your father's death yet." Kai placed the wicker basket in the chair and began to place the dishes back on the silver tray. "In public you may not be able to show your full emotion, but I can assure you that while you are inside this castle among staff, you have every right to grieve in the way that's best for you. Give yourself time, Agnarr. The loss will never be easy, but the effects will lessen over time." Kai put the tray on top of the bundled fabric and carried the basket towards the chamber doors.

"Thank you, Kai." Agnarr's voice made him stop under the threshold. "Hearing that, means a lot."

Kai gave him a friendly smile with a bow of his head and then walked from the room of blue wallpaper. Agnarr closed the single door behind him and found himself alone in the dressing room.

The dressing room was a space between his bedchambers and another spare room that wasn't in use. The room was the same length as his own, but not as wide. The blue wallpaper highlighted the dark, polished wood floor with a single sage rug that ran the length of the room. Along the wall in front of him were three curtained spaces used to hold his coats, vests, shirts, and pants. It wasn't as full as it would be if two people shared this space, but each closet held something. In the right corner next to the last closet was a dressing table and stool. The only things that it housed were his brush, a few glass jars of bath oil, and a gel-like substance used to style his hair. There was a dressing screen along the same wall as his door to the room. Next to it was tri-fold mirror and a circled step used when he was being fitted for something new.

Agnarr had a feeling it would be in use again very soon. Going from Prince to King meant he had to update his wardrobe. To go from a boy to a man-in-charge. He was not looking forward to the hours it would take over several days to get that done.

The only thing out of place in the room was the large wooden basin placed in the center. He could see the steam that swirled above the surface to let him know it was hot. Around the head of the basin were several cloths that would offer his head cushion while he relaxed. With a breath, Agnarr decided he should start his bath before Kai came to get him.

He pulled the long linen shirt over his head and dropped it to the ground by the basin. He quickly stepped into the steaming water and sank down until nothing but his shoulders up were visible above the agitated water. The heat of the bath immediately relaxed his body enough that he slumped against the taller end and closed his eyes.

"Your Majesty?"

There was a harsh tapping on the door, and it made Agnarr jump. His arms swung out from beneath the cooled water from the startle and caused some to splash over the sides.

'_Oops.' _Agnarr bit into his lip. _'Did I fall asleep?'_

"Agnarr? Are you alright?" Kai's voice called from the other side of the door with concern. "You've been in there for quite some time. Are you nearly finished? You need to be leaving soon. The guards have already begun getting the horses ready."

Agnarr gasped and quickly scrubbed his blond locks, that were starting to turn orange when the sun hit the strands, with the water filled with an oil. He rubbed the sponge along his arms, under his neck, down his torso and to his toes. With a deep breath, he sunk under the water to remove the bubbled oil from his hair. He stood from the water with a squelch and the colder air made him shiver. With his arms crossed over his torso, he climbed from the wooden basin with his legs as balance, but it didn't help. In his rush to get out, Agnarr slipped in the puddle of water that had spilled over the side.

"Oooh!"

Agnarr's body went flailing about as he tumbled to the ground. Water crashed against itself from his rough movements. His body fell face first and his legs flipped above his head. His arms reached around to grab anything that would stop his fall, but he managed to only grab one of the cloths from the basin's side. He landed hard on his side. His hip knocked against the solid wood of the basin and then the floor beneath it. His elbow connected with the floor just before his hip had.

"Sire? Everything alright in there?" Kai's voice grew more troubled beyond the door. "What was that crashing?"

Agnarr groaned in the process of pushing himself from the floor. "Nothing, Kai." He shouted to lower his attendants blood pressure. "I just slipped on some water. I'm okay."

Kai stammered his words in incomplete sentences, so Agnarr had no idea what he was trying to say. He focused more on getting his body up from the freezing ground. When he was halfway the doorknob turned downward with a squeak. Agnarr's eyes went wide as he scrambled around to grab the cloth he had pulled from the basin to cover his naked form. Kai came walking in just as he draped the cloth about his waist. Embarrassed, naked, and sprawled on the floor, all Agnarr could do was give Kai a lopsided grin. Kai just stared at Agnarr with a raised brow.

"I won't ask how this happened and I won't mention it to anyone." Kai said with no expression.

"Thanks, Kai." Agnarr took hold of Kai's offered hand and he was pulled to his feet. He had to quickly grab hold of the cloth to keep it from falling. He didn't need any more embarrassment.

"If you would prefer, Sire, I will gather your attire while you dry off behind the screen?"

Agnarr pushed his wet hair from his forehead. "Sounds good." Agnarr paddled his way across the room and slide behind the dressing screen. Ever so quietly so Kai wouldn't hear, he bumped his head against the wall behind the screen. He let his arms dangle and swing at his sides. He stared at the ground while his cheeks went aflame.

'_You are an idiot, Agnarr.'_

With an exhale, he grabbed the cloth from around his hips and began to dry the dots of water from his legs and arms. He rustled the damp cloth through his hair to get as much water out as he could before he slung it over the top of the dressing screen.

"Here you are, Sire." Kai slung over a fresh linen undershirt and linen braies.

Agnarr slipped his arms through the loose sleeves then tossed it over his head. He shook his damp hair out then pushed the fabric down to settle just above his knees. He pulled the braies up each leg and fastened the two linen buttons so it stayed on his hips. Once he was no longer nude like the day he was born, Agnarr stepped from behind the screen.

Kai had his days attire draped on a chair by the balcony door. He saw the velvet, plum vest he wore the most out of any other. A long, black wool greatcoat that had simple gray rosemaling stitched along the edges. A pair of black linen trousers that would be tucked into a pair of black boots.

With a heavy sigh, Agnarr slowly began to dress himself. He pulled the wool stockings up just below his knees before he pulled the trousers up. He tucked the undershirt into the waistband then he slipped the buttons through the slits. He adjusted the vest on his shoulders and began the difficult task of fastening it up. He smoothed the velvet out at the same time he sat down in the chair. He reached over to grab each boot and pull them up his legs. He had difficulty getting his trousers to look nice when tucked in. He groaned a few times in frustration before Kai came over to assist. When he was done, Agnarr added the final touch of his coat. It was heavy and reached down to his knees, but it was a thick wool to keep him warm from the chill, so he expected the weight.

Kai fussed over a few things as he tried to straighten out seams or brush off some attached lent, but Agnarr just started at his own reflection in the tri-fold mirror. He looked paler than he last remembered seeing. His eyes looked too large for his face and much too bright. The heavy bruising around his eyes only made them that much larger. Kai quickly ran Agnarr's brush through his tangled hair to get it in its usually parted sweep. While Kai applied some of the gel to keep his hair in place, Agnarr pinched his cheeks to hopefully give him some color under the pasty tone.

"One final thing, You Majesty."

Agnarr looked at the lavender-colored silk that was held out to him. "I don't think that will go with what-"

"Forgive me if I sound to bold, Sire, but your mother would have wanted you to wear it today. She treasured this cravat and kept it tucked in the sleeve of her gowns, or so her lady-in-waiting informed me." Kai slipped it around Agnarr's neck and began to tie it. "As it did for her, it will give you strength to get through the service."

Agnarr looked down at the piece of silk around his neck. "It looks similar to others I wear." He pointed out.

"Similar, yes, but different." Kai explained. "Think of it as having her with you."

Agnarr touched it between two of his fingers. There was a scent in the fabric that he couldn't name. He knew it was some type of floral.

There was a tap on the opened door to the dressing room followed by Captain Birger. Agnarr saw he was dressed in a new Arendellian uniform and all his bruising was finally faded. His cracked ribs were still healing, but the bind he had wrapped around his chest helped to keep the pain low.

"Your Majesty," Captain Birger gave a stiff bow because of his ribs, "the horses are saddled and ready in the courtyard."

"Well," Agnarr straightened out his coat as he walked towards the captain, "I suppose we shouldn't keep everyone waiting then."

Captain Birger followed close behind Agnarr as they both crossed his bedchambers. Two female staff were remaking his bed with fresh silk sheets and a heavy quilt lined with wool. Another staff member was busy lighting the candles in the fixtures. Just as he passed under the doorframe, Agnarr gave a look back at Kai who gave him a smile.

* * *

**T**he ride up the mountain was blooming with rebirth. The grass was tall and whooshed around by the hooves of his horse. Flowers freshly sprouted from the dirt. The transparent leaves that uncurled from the branches. But Agnarr couldn't appreciate any of it for his mind was clouded with grief.

Spring may be upon them with brightness, but loss filled the day with dull colors.

Agnarr rode his horse near the front of the group. Captain Birger next to him and few in front of them both that lead the way through the open field. Behind him, he could hear the carriage jolt from the uneven ground and the horses pulling it snort. He thought maybe he should have ridden in the carriage with the Bishop instead of his horse so he could let his cries out, but it didn't matter where he was. His tears would fall regardless. Just like they did already.

They were silent tears that fell like streams down his cheekbones, but they were still a sign of weakness in his armor. He hoped the people of Arendelle would understand and give him just this one day to show his grief with them.

"Your Majesty, it's time." Captain Birger, who had already disembarked his horse and held the reins of Agnarr's own horse, said with a catch in his throat.

Agnarr took a glance around the field. Other soldiers were stepping down from the leather saddles. The Bishop was being helped out of the carriage by the driver and he placed his maroon Miter upon his head. Agnarr watched the two fringed lappets fall down the back of his matching Cassock. The Bishop reached inside the carriage to grab the thick brown book. When the Bishop caught sight of Agnarr's staring, he gave the young King a nod of sympathy.

Agnarr cleared his throat from the sudden tightness as he swung his left leg over the back of his Fjord horse, Fenrir until both his boots had grass underneath them. The ground made a squishing sound under his boots and Agnarr looked down. The shiny black leather had spots of mud around the toes.

'_Great.'_ Agnarr sighed to himself.

He placed the reigns at the base of the horses' neck and scratched under Fenrir's mouth before he followed the group of guards towards the large stones near the cliffs edge. The two stone markers that stood near the drop of the cliff were different in color.

The stone on his right was darker and had moss down the rough side. That was his mother, Queen Rita's marker. A woman he never got to meet. His father brought him up here when he was five to acknowledge the date of her passing; which was the same day he was brought into the world.

The stone to the left of his mother's was newer. The stone was a brighter gray and polished. The carvings fresh on the face. Unlike Queen Rita's, the former King's marker was just that. A marker. Since his father's body could not be retrieved from the Enchanted Forest it lay bare beneath the heavy stone.

As Agnarr came closer to the memorial site of his parents, he saw all the villagers gathered around to mourn their loss with him. The Bishop took the lead behind two guards that held lanterns. The cliffside was darker than it would be if the sun was shining, but the clouds the same color as charcoal blocked any light. A layer of fog formed from the waves that crashed against the rocks below. Agnarr knew rain was bound to pour at some point in the day.

When the Bishop reached the space between the two markers, Agnarr knew it was time. He straightened his shoulders. His spine stretched so his back was tall. He grabbed a wrist behind his back. He made himself look the part of a royal; just like his father had taught him. His steps were evenly paced as he made his way down to the Bishop. The villagers trailed him with their eyes as he passed them.

The guards decided their posts around the cliff side. The ones who held lanterns with a burning candle stood on the outside of the two markers. Agnarr turned to face the people as he stood next to the Bishop. From the corner of his eye, he saw the Bishop hold the book, opened, in one hand and raised the other to gain attention.

"Vi samles her i en minnedag, respekt, kjærlighet. For å feire livet av Arendelle falne monark, kong Runeard." The Bishop's words carried across the wide field. The villagers all lowered their heads as they listened. The guards followed and so did Agnarr. "For oss alle, var han mer enn vår Konge. Han var far, bror og venn…"

Agnarr could hear the Bishop's voice fall deaf on his ears; like someone going deeper in a tunnel. Although he could still hear the words from the man's lips, his memories became much louder.

'_Come on young one, you can do it.'_

Agnarr lifted his head just a bit at the sound of his father's voice. There was nothing around him but the villagers, the guards, and the Bishop. He shook his head before he lowered it again. A long roll of thunder clapped above him. Rain was coming soon.

"Som vi senke våre hoder i bønn, la oss be om kong Runeard sjel å bli velsignet av gudene, og unntas, slik at han kan bli gjenforent med sin elskede dronning."

'_Remember, Agnarr, when wielding a weapon, you must treat it as an extension of your arm. You can't just swing it around when facing an opponent. They can knock you off balance.'_

His father's voice spoke clearly next to his right ear. His head snapped in the direction it came. He came to stare at the Bishop as he spoke the Gods Prayer. His palm raised above his bowed head and eyes closed. His father's stone marker behind the Bishop.

'_What if I'm not strong enough?'_

'_You will be, son. You may not see it now, but one day your strength will surprise you. Let me share a piece of fatherly advice, "Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength."_'

Agnarr felt his heart constrict in his throat. The memories of his father carried in the harsher wind that picked up from the developing storm. Without thinking, he stepped closer to his father's grave marking.

'_Do I have to do this?'_

'_As Prince and heir to the throne, you must. It is important that you learn how to make speeches like a royal. A leader.'_

Agnarr took another step. The worry of being proper at a memorial nearly forgotten.

'_Make sure your back is straight. You look forward and use your legs to carve your direction. You are in charge of where the horse goes. Don't give the power to the creature, otherwise it will lead you off course.'_

Agnarr felt his breathing become labored. Like the inhales he took never entered.

'_Your mother…she was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. I remember the moment she walked into the ballroom; I didn't even hear her name be announced. She captured me completely and I looked like a fool in the middle of that dance floor. We married a few months later, and then she gave me the greatest treasure in the world. She gave me you.'_

Agnarr reached his hand out, his arm shaking, and didn't stop walking until his palm scrapped against the rough side of the stone.

'_You are nearly fifteen, Agnarr, it is time you started focusing on finding a bride. Time you started thinking about Arendelle's future. I'm not going to be around forever, and when that day comes you need to place security, not only for yourself but for the kingdom.'_

'_What do you mean?'_

'_I'm talking about heirs, Agnarr. Having an heir secures not only your rule, but also protects your line, and you can't do either of these without marriage. I wasn't much older than you when I married your mother. Marrying a princess is a sure way of strengthening your reign and gives the people hope of a future heir.'_

Agnarr fell to his knees and felt the dampness from the grass seep into his trousers. His palm stung from the gravity of his body pulling it down. His eyes burned from the built-up tears held back by his bottom eyelids.

The memories were so clear in his ear, like his father was standing right in front of him. Was he hallucinating? Was he dreaming? Or did he actually die that day in the Enchanted Forest two weeks ago, and was trapped in a hell he would never escape from?

"Your Majesty?"

Agnarr turned his head to the voice that clearly didn't belong to his father. He blinked from the candles light. The tears that had been contained finally slipped free to drip off his chin into the grass. "Bishop?"

The Bishop was giving Agnarr a look of sympathy. His eyes were soft. His mouth turned into a frown. There were wrinkles at the top of his nose; between his brows. "It's time for the people to offer their respect." His hand was held out for Agnarr to take.

He looked confused, "Is it over?"

"The service is, Sire." The Bishop answered a bit confused.

"How long have I been sitting here?" Agnarr grabbed hold of the offered hand and he was helped to his feet.

"Maybe fifteen minutes or so, but it's alright, Your Majesty." The Bishop placed his palm on Agnarr's shoulder after he helped the boy from the ground. "You are saying good-bye in the way you need."

Agnarr released a rough breath before he surprised himself. His arms wrapped around the Bishop's waist. He buried his face in his maroon robes and let his snivels go. What he was doing was far beyond proper, but for the first time in his life he let protocol be damned. The Bishop didn't seem to mind his action for he placed his hand in Agnarr's hair on the back of his head; pulling him a bit closer. He could hear whispers of a prayer in his ear, but Agnarr didn't acknowledge it enough to understand the words.

It took a few moments for Agnarr to collect himself enough to face the people of Arendelle, but when he stepped from the Bishop's chest a warm hand touched his cheek and his tears wiped away. He took a deep breath in before he stepped around the Bishop to face the waiting people. He hoped all his father's lessons in public speaking pay off because he knows he's far from being prepared.

Agnarr felt another tear fall from his eye and it made his skin itch as it traveled down his neck. "King Runeard was more than just a King, he was a son, a husband, and a father. He was someone everyone could look up to, someone we wanted to listen to and admire. He was someone I was proud to follow in his footsteps. I am proud to be his son. To brag about. To be able to cry in his arms in times of fear and uncertainty. And of course, someone I could impress and rebel against. But most of all, someone with whom I got to share all this in life with.

"I am so incredibly grateful to stand before you and tell you that I have had all of this and so much more with my father. I have been blessed with a father like him, and you all blessed with a ruler such as him." Agnarr felt his throat constrict as the tears slipped down his face a bit faster.

"To say, I loved my father would be an understatement—and to say I'm going to miss him would be an even greater understatement. I can't even begin to imagine not having him around. He has always been in my life. Always there at a moment's notice, in his ever-graceful manner, with any type of project great or small that I needed advice.

"My father was always there for everyone. Me, the castle staff, the nobles, the guards, and of course his people. No matter the problem, he always had a solution. He was a very clever man but was never afraid of having a laugh at his own expense. I can remember all the times we would spar together, and when I would best him, he would break into a fit of laughter." Agnarr gave the briefest of smiles at the fond memories.

"My father was hard working, compassionate towards everyone, and deserved the life of leadership he was given. He taught me many, many things, and even though I still have much to learn, I think the most important thing he left us all is the ability to know that if you really put your mind to something, anything is possible. His favorite thing to say to me was 'Never be afraid to give anything a try'." Agnarr begged himself to hold together for a few more moments.

"Nobody can be perfect, we all have flaws, but my father was as close to being the most perfect father anyone could have. My father's love was unconditional, and it is something I will cherish from his character and take with me forever. His kindness and generosity will be remembered by all who had the pleasure of knowing him. I want to thank all of you for coming out today to say good-bye to my father. To see all of you here, showing your respect, it means so much to me. I know my father prided himself on this Kingdom and the people who call it their home. If he could be here to see you all, I know he would feel honored and undeserving of your respect and loyalty." He bowed his head to hide the salted tears that would not stop.

No one said or moved after he stopped talking. Agnarr worried that his speech wasn't what it should have been.

'_Did I fail again? Please, don't let me disappoint him.'_ Agnarr felt his legs shake from both the nerves and the distress that he felt.

A pair of brown shoes stepped into his sight of the grass. His head snapped up to look at the owner of the shoes. They belonged to a young boy, much smaller than him, who looked up at him with a small smile. A woman dressed in green stood behind him with a young girl in her arms. Agnarr saw the young children had objects in their hands but seemed shy and hesitant to speak and or move another inch.

The young woman gripped the boy's shoulder and leaned into his ear. "Why don't you show His Grace what you've brought him?"

The young boy looked from the woman to him. Agnarr could see his worry, so he knelt to one knee and gave the boy a friendly smile. "This is for you, Prince Agnarr!" The child nearly smacked him in the face with the loaf of Kneippbrød, but Agnarr still gave the child a smile as he took the offer.

"As a token of our sympathy, Your Majesty. We may have lost a great King, but you lost a loved one."

"Your gift is much appreciated, thank you." Agnarr gave a bow of his head when the woman gave him a clumsy curtsy.

"I picked this for the King, Prince Agnarr." The little girl held out a single white Anemone flower to him. "I hope he likes it." Agnarr felt his heart swell at the kindness in the little girl.

"His Majesty will be addressed as King…"

Agnarr held up a hand to silence Birger. "There is no need. I am not King yet. Today, I am simply Agnarr." Birger stepped back next to the Bishop. "My father would love that flower. Would you like to place it on his memorial with me?"

The little girl looked to the older woman who gave her a nod of okay. After she was placed on the ground, she slipped her hand into Agnarr's free one, which surprised him, and they walked to the face of his father's stone. Agnarr knelt once more so that he was closer to the little girl's height. They held the flower together as they placed it in the grass just before the large marker.

"Thank you, for the flower. My father would give you a smile if he were here."

The little girl surprised him again when her tiny arms clamped around his neck. Her warm breath against his neck as she buried her face into his shoulder. At first, he froze. Unsure if he should hug her back or not. But one look over at the woman and her warm smile, Agnarr gently held the child to his chest. One hand on her upper back and the other on the purple bonnet over her hair. She squeezed him as tight as her little arms could for a while until she pushed herself away. She gave him a bright smile as she surprised him for the third time. Her tiny hands brushed over his cheeks to erase the lines of tears and before she walked back to the older woman, she placed a simple peck to his cleared cheek. He watched her tiny legs take her back to her family. She was swept up into the woman's arms again.

Agnarr received several more gifts from his people. Handmade Gammelost from goats, different types of bread, several sweets, flowers mainly from the children, a hand carved replica of his family's coat of arms made of wood and painted, and a basket.

A bright strike of light shot to the ground some ways away and a clap of thunder not far behind. The light sprinkle that had started some time ago came down harder. Agnarr wrapped the hand sewn cloth over the gifts he held to keep them dry.

"We need to be getting you back to the castle, Sire, you are still recovering and getting sick will only slow the process down." Captain Birger announced with a hand on his shoulder. Agnarr gave him a nod of agreement. "Back to the castle. Guards you know your positions."

Agnarr made his way, quickly, back to his horse. The Bishop gladly took the gifts in the carriage with him to keep them safe from the nasty weather. Agnarr swung himself up into the saddle and it wasn't long before the royal party and the people made their way back down the mountain and to the village of Arendelle.

He felt relief when the horse's hooves made a louder sound on the cobblestone streets of the village. He knew he would be at the gates soon, and he could get free of these wet clothes. Agnarr saw that even with the rain people were still out and about. Women held rain umbrellas to keep them dry and shared with their children or husbands.

Market Square was crowded with people. The ships docked in the harbor creaked from the rough sea water that rocked them. Smells of fresh bread, cheese, soups, and spices were not drowned out by the rain. The shop of sweets had their windows open and the smell made Agnarr crave some cake. He could hear two merchants fighting over some fish down by the harbor. The poor fisherman looked uncomfortable. Agnarr had to cover his mouth to quiet his laugh when one of the merchants fell back into the sea.

Agnarr was just about to send his horse across the bridge when he heard a loud ruckus come from behind him. He could hear a man shouting over the bustle of the crowd. Something crashed to the ground and people gasped. Agnarr pulled back on the reins to make Fenrir stop. Fenrir gave a slight irritated snort, but Agnarr ignored him and tried to see what was happening.

Around the large pavilion where most of the stalls were, there was a crowd of people circled around whatever was happening. Without a thought, Agnarr pulled against the reins again to get Fenrir to turn around and hit his heels into the horse's back legs. He urged Fenrir to back track their steps.

"Your Grace?"

He ignored the call of the royal guard and kept going. As he got closer to the crowd, he could see the male who was shouting.

"Stop thief!" He cried.

Agnarr climbed off his horse and started to push his way into the crowd. People moved aside once they noticed who he was. He reached the front of the crowd just in time to see a young girl, not much younger than he was, fall in the middle of the pavilion. A large loaf of Kneippbrød slide from her arm.

"Hey! You!" The man shouted as he came upon her.

The girl tried to scramble up from the ground, but she wasn't fast enough. Her arm was seized by the man's hand, and he pulled her up roughly. She tried to claw her arm free from the merchants grasp, but he overpowered her.

"No one steals from my stall and gets away unpunished. Do you know what the punishment for stealing is, little girl?"

Agnarr watched, shocked, at what was happening before him. The young girl fought against his hold on her arm as he started to drag her to one of the nearest stalls. Her bare feet tried to dig into the wood of the floor, but they only slipped beneath her. Her wet and wild dark curls whipped around her head from her harsh movements. Agnarr could see the fear in her features, but also courage in her bright eyes at her current situation.

Agnarr took a step towards them. The angry merchant slammed her arm down across the wood of the stall. The girl gave a yelp from the harsh impact. Agnarr took another step closer when the man raised his other arm above his head.

"Those who steal, get their hand broken."

"No! Please!" The girl pleaded before she snapped her eyes shut.

Agnarr saw the large jagged stone in his raised hand. He was going to break her hand?! Without another clear thought or plan, his feet took off. He saw the man's arm lower with power. Agnarr reached his own arm out as he came closer. With only inches between the rock and the girls trapped hand, Agnarr used all his strength to halt the man's descent.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Agnarr's voice was rough.

* * *

**Kneippbrød**-Bread  
**Braies**-Men's underwear  
**Gammelot**-Cheese usually made from cow's milk.

_Can you guess who the young girl is that Agnarr had stopped from receiving a broken hand? Guess we shall find out who and what happens next chapter._


	6. Chapter Five

_This chapter came to be much longer than I first drafted out. I got two of the main events written, but two still remain, but I'm going to break this chapter in half. Even with it broken it is still rather long! You guy's have waited enough to read it, so I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter Five  
_The Kindness of a King_

_Iduna  
Spring, April 1814_

**T**he harsh light penetrated beyond her eyelids and made her stir from her deep slumber. Her head turned in the other direction to try and block out the light, but it seemed hopeless to get more sleep when the birds started to sing their morning song. Iduna slowly allowed her lashes to detangle themselves, light crept through the tiny crack of space, and her muscles clenched as she stretched. Her arms raised above her head and she groaned after her body started to wake up. The day's light was still harsh to her eyes when she tried to open them further. Her blinks came faster.

When her arms lowered from above, she pressed her palm into her eye to rub the rest of the sleep from her body. She gave a few more heavy blinks then greeted the forest just outside of Arendelle. From the tree she was perched in above the flowing river, she could see the village and the Arendelle Castle, that was the focal point, down below. The light from the oil lamps along the streets were still on, but Iduna thought maybe that was because the sky was still dark from the cloud cover.

A sudden breeze blew the wisps of curls around her ears. The wind carried the cold from the fjord, and it made her shiver. Iduna pulled her scarf across her chest to block as much of the cold out as she could. She pulled her bare feet close and tucked them under her thighs in hopes of warming them under her wool pants. The cold breeze was a sign that a storm was not that far off.

Once the wind settled around her, Iduna untangled herself and began to climb down the branches until blades of grass slipped between her toes. The ground was damp with dew and the dirt squished beneath her heels. She flexed her toes out from the tickle of the grass and the coldness of the mud. She turned her head to the river that flowed quietly.

'_The water will be much too cold to bathe in. No chance for a wash…again.'_

Iduna gave a heavy sigh. She was in need of a good wash. She hadn't been able to get one since the night she washed the blood away, and her hair was becoming a tangled, oily mess. Her nails were stained with dirt and broken. Her pants needed a good scrub from the grass marks. Her leather tunic had to be discarded some time ago because of the blood stain she couldn't get out, it was too much for her to look at day after day. The soul of her boots fell away after climbing over rocks and into trees so much, she had to toss them as well.

She cast her eyes away from the freezing river and back to the tree. A large chuck of the bark had been peeled away; the cause of her nails breaking. Iduna knelt in the trees raised roots and grabbed the sharp rock placed against the trunk, she pressed the end into the smooth wood of the trees inner trunk and pulled it down in repeated strokes. She created a new line, a mark, next to previously made ones.

"Thirteen." Iduna whispered once she was done. "Today marks thirteen days since the fighting. Since I lost my mother. Since I lost my home." Iduna pressed her hand with the rock to her stomach after it made a loud gurgling sound that dragged out. "And since I actual ate something I didn't have to kill myself."

Iduna grew up in a forest where she thrived off the land. She knew the plants that could be used in stews. Which berries were safe to eat. But, here, Iduna knew nothing about this land. Different things grew in the dirt. The trees unfamiliar to her. Even the animals were a bit different. In all her hikes around the woods, she hadn't seen a single reindeer.

She'd come across a Beaver building a dam of sticks along the river more north her first day hiking.

A small family of Minx's had crossed her path during her fourth day and she nearly flew at one to have for dinner, but she couldn't get past its cute face and whiskers.

Her seventh day she had traveled so far north she ended up in the mountains and ran right into a Muskox. The herd wasn't as big as it would be if it were winter, but there were at least twelve. She had frozen in place when she caught the eye of a large male and he stared her down. Her eyes had gone wide when his mouth opened followed by a roar. She watched his head swing around and his front hove pawed the ground; disturbing the grass and dirt. Iduna knew he was showing dominants. She had to back away slowly until she could no longer see them before she was allowed to race back down the mountain.

She made a note to never go that far up again. At least without something to protect herself with.

After an entire week had past, her stomach couldn't take another moment without something to eat. Later that same day she found the Muskox, she came across a Red Squirrel jumping through the grass. Her stomach took over her mind and her actions sprang. Her feet kicked through the grass as she chased the creature. Her dancing feet finally came back to life to give her movement stealth. Iduna knelt in the grass, making sure she was downwind so the creature wouldn't pick up her scent, and clenched a stone in her hand. Her fingers rubbed around the rock while she waited for the perfect moment. She chucked the stone across the distance and it landed on the squirrel. She ran to the creatures still body and picked up the stone.

Iduna shakenly held her hands above the still squirrel. She sat and debated with her choice as she watched the little chest rise and fall. Part of her heart ached at the life she was about to end. She wanted to walk away and allow the squirrel to live the rest of its life, but another part of her knew it was part of life and she needed the squirrel to calm her stomach. With a heavy heart Iduna had pressed the stone to the tiny head and pressed down.

Iduna flinched when the crack echoed in her ears. She dropped the stone back to the tree roots and shook herself from her memories of the past few weeks. Iduna still felt guilty about what she had to do, but it was an act of survival, she knew that, but that didn't lessen her morality.

She treasured life, all life. It was something her mother taught her from the time she could say her first word. How every living thing in the world had a purpose. That they had to cherish what nature gave them and give thanks for the beauty they bring. Even though Iduna had killed the squirrel for food, she did bury the outer pelt and said her thanks.

Her aching stomach growled at her again. She could feel the pain twist in knots and her hand pressed against her shirt. Her stomach was screaming at her for something to eat, but Iduna didn't have the will the kill another creature for food. In her tribe, the males did all the hunting. She helped prepare the food, but that was as close as she had ever gotten.

Iduna stood to her feet and turned her gaze back to the Kingdom of Arendelle. Her hands twisted around themselves in front of her. The fringe that hung from the ends of her scarf tickled her skin each time her hands circled. Her mind kept going back and forth on what she should do.

Iduna thought about going down in the village several times through the days, but she feared someone recognizing her as Northuldra. But then she thought how they would know. The only people who could possibly know were the guards and the young Prince. Was that why she refused to go down there? To avoid the Prince in fear that he might remember her as the girl from the Enchanted Forest?

'_Don't be silly, Iduna.'_ She shook her head. _'From what you heard, the Prince doesn't remember everything from that day. It's possible he doesn't recall meeting you because of the injury to his head.'_

Iduna dropped down enough so she could scoop some of the river water into her hands.

'_If you really think about it, he is a Prince, you probably won't see him out in the village anyway.'_

Iduna brought her hands up to her face, the cold water made her skin tingle, and her fingers rubbed her face to remove any dirt smudges. Iduna was right, the water was much too cold to bathe completely in, so she would have to settle on just cleaning off her dirty face. Trying to lessen the amount of attention she wanted to bring to herself.

'_So, there's no reason you can't go down there.'_

Iduna flicked her fingers to rid herself of the extra water.

'_No reason you have to continue isolating yourself up here, when there is a perfectly populated village there. Somewhere you can get food from. Somewhere you can spend your time during the day and just come back here to sleep.'_

Iduna's mind was made up even before she washed her face off. After thirteen days of living in the forest without much to use for food, she was finally going to walk into Arendelle for the first time. Before she could talk herself out of going again, Iduna shot to her feet, pushed her hair from her face to hook behind her ears, and followed along the riverside that headed in Arendelle's direction.

Iduna had traveled down the river before. During her third day, when her grief was too much for her to sit still, she had wondered aimlessly without any direction. Around midday Iduna found herself at a cliffs edge and the river fell over in a misting waterfall. She had found a wooden structure that acted as a bridge before the falling river. It connected the two pieces of land split by the rest of the river that ended up into the fjord.

This time though, it didn't take as long to reach where the bridge was because she knew the direction to go.

Iduna found herself back to the mountainside and once she broke past the tree line a strong wind circled around her. For a split second, she thought of the Wind Spirit but knew it wasn't, for she hadn't had any contact with any spirit since the day her home was sealed off. The wind around her was a cause of the growing storm and that she was no longer protected by the trees.

Iduna removed her scarf from around her shoulders and wrapped it around the waistband of her pants. Tying the ends into a knot to secure it in place and keep it from blowing away in the strong breeze. Iduna crouched near the slop of the mountainside and carefully made her way down the short distance to the dirt path below. She climbed from one rock ledge to the next below it. She kept her mind focused on her task and her limbs slow. Her body lowered itself to the final step with her arms used as anchors. Her bare feet dangled in the air as she lowered until they touched stone.

The palm of her foot scrapped against the rough rock as it came loose from the main physique of the ledge. Iduna's body lost all balance and she fell. Her wrists scratched against the mountain rock on her way down. A sharp surface of the ledge dug into her left thigh. Her hip on the same side struck against the stone and it vibrated her bone. Iduna didn't fall far, so when she landed in the grass at the base of the cliff side, she received no more injuries. The chunk of rock that broke away from her weight lay near her feet.

After her heart stopped pounding from the _excitement_ of her quick decent, Iduna started to feel the sting of her wounds. Her wrists had several scratches along the sides that stopped halfway down her arm, they weren't deep and only speckles of blood found its way to the surface. She checked the bottom of her foot and found a single long cut, deep, but not deep enough to cause worry. Blood pooled beneath the wound. Iduna could feel the throb of her thigh, but she would need to check that later; she didn't want to have her pants down encase someone came by. She did check her hip and there were no visible marks there. A bruise, along with many others, would be present later.

Iduna hung her head and groaned.

'_Some master climber you are.'_ She chided herself then got up from the ground.

Iduna worried that it would be difficult to walk with the open wound on the bottom of her foot, but it was only an annoying sting when she stretched the skin. It was manageable until she could tend to it later. Iduna followed the path down towards the bridge, she passed several trees sprouted with fresh leaves, and finally came upon the bridge with the waterfall behind it.

At either end of the bridge, flags waved in the breeze as if to invite her across. Her head turned to the right to take in the view of the fjord down below as she walked across.

Spring was beautiful. It was always her favorite time of the year in the Enchanted Forest for all of the colors that painted perfectly together, but there in Arendelle it could nearly compare. The grass was so green and bright as it swayed in the harsh breeze. The fjord had its crystal-clear waters that showed a perfect reflection of birds that flew over it. Flowers grew everywhere. Throughout her time in Arendelle's woods, she had come across several of the same flower. It had many different colors, but it was the same flower, she was sure. It was even on the flags attached to the bridge a bit behind her now. She had never seen that type of flower in her home before, so she figured it didn't grow that far north.

She thought to ask someone what it was when she got to the village and why it was the symbol stitched into the fabric.

Once she had passed over the wooden bridge, that had creaked in a few places when she stepped, and walked for a few minuets she found herself along a path of beauty. The allée was lined on either side with several Birch tree's with branches that curved outwards. Their branches inner locked above the path, and the freshly grown leaves formed a continuous canopy overhead. Iduna felt she was walking through a tunnel.

Birds sang a cheerful morning chirp that echoed around the space. The wind blew the leaves in a wave above, but it was a simple blow around her now from the shield of the trees. She spotted a couple red furred squirrels munching on found nuts. When she got too close, they scampered into the nearest tree. Iduna's feet started to skip so her walk had more beat to it. With the wind teased through her hair, and the tassels of her scarf bounced off her legs, Iduna spread her arms out.

She could hear the drums and the sweet voices kulning around her. Her feet moved along the path in a dance she had performed many nights. Her arms swayed around her body as she twisted. Her fingers ran through her hair. Iduna could remember every step, every move, she had been taught. Iduna's dancing feet gracefully tapped along the ground. Crossing over each other, spreading out as her legs balanced her.

'_Always remember you are Northuldra. You are born of the sun.'_

"Hey! Watch out!"

Iduna was shaken from the depth of her imagination behind her eyelids. When she accounted for the real world, she came face to face with a galloping horse.

"Ah!" Iduna screamed and forced herself backwards in time to avoid the horse.

Her backside connected with the grass and she watched the horse pull the cart past her. The man who had called out to her pulled against the reins to stop the horse. Once he had gotten the animal to halt, he and a female climbed from the cart. Iduna pushed herself back to her feet.

"My goodness, are you alright honey?" The woman asked while eyeing her up and down.

"I apologize child, I took my eyes off the road for a second and you were there." The man spoke as he removed his hat to hold to his chest.

Iduna held her hands out. "It's quite alright." She smiled. "I probably shouldn't be walking in the middle of the road anyway."

"My gods, where are your shoes? What happened to your clothes?" The woman threw so many questions out at Iduna all at once that she couldn't keep up. The woman started to examine her.

Iduna froze when the woman's hands pulled her sleeves up to see the scratches on her arms and the bruises. She moved Iduna's hair from one shoulder to the next, looking around her neck that probably had dirt stained against her skin. She gripped Iduna's chin to tilt her head around. She gently touched around the large knot that had started to bruise along her hairline.

"What happened to you?" She asked after she stopped poking around Iduna's body.

"Did someone attack you?" The male spoke up.

"Uh…" Iduna just stared at the two people that waited for her to answer.

In certain ways, yes, she could say someone attacked her because that was the truth, but Iduna knew she couldn't say she had come from the fight up north, otherwise they would figure out she is Northuldra. The only child that had gone to the Enchanted Forest from Arendelle that day was the Prince, so there was really only one option she had to keep her secret hidden and herself kept safe. They continued to wait for an answer, but what could Iduna say that would be believable? Iduna's mind worked fast to come up with an explanation that was somewhat true; she never liked the feeling a lie left in her heart. Apparently, she looked worse than she thought, so she could go with what they assumed.

They did ask if someone had attacked her, so Iduna could draw from that, but stick to the truth as much as possible. Only twisting what she had too.

"I wasn't the only one attacked." Iduna started. "My home was invaded, and my mother was killed in their violence. I was able to escape the fore—_the village_," Iduna hoped she corrected herself quick enough, and they didn't notice the increased redness of her cheeks, "and I found myself in the woods just a bit north from here." Iduna had to hold her breath to keep the growing tears from building to much. Whenever the thought of her mother crossed her mind she wanted to fall apart again, but she knew if she did then she would be left with that emptiness again.

The woman placed her hands on both her heart and Iduna's shoulder. "You must have really been through something, child."

"Do you have family in the capital?" The man asked her, his hat still held to his chest.

Iduna shook her head. Her hair falling from her shoulder and down her back. "My mother was all the family I had."

"Percey…" The woman turned to the man; her hand disappeared from Iduna's shoulder.

"I know, Agnetha. Perhaps the young King can offer her some help."

The woman, Agnetha, turned back to Iduna and stepped up to her side. Her palms on either shoulder. "Why don't you ride with us into Arendelle? You must be exhausted from your ordeal."

Iduna looked from the woman to the man and then back again. Part of her thought she wasn't really getting a choice in the matter, but how could she refuse a break from constantly using her legs? The cut on her foot was aching and a rest would do her well. She knew it would look strange if she refused them of their kind offer.

"Thank you. A ride sounds lovely." Iduna smiled.

"Think nothing of it child. Now come. I would like to be in the village before the rain falls." The man gave a warm smile as he placed his hat on his head again. He led the way back to the horse drawn wagon.

Agnetha pulled Iduna along with her towards the cart. She felt the woman's fingers squeeze her a bit. "When was the last time you ate something? I can feel your bones through your shirt." Her tone worried.

Iduna played with her fingers. "I think it was six days or so." She spoke.

Agnetha shook her head with a sorrow look. She helped Iduna into the back of the wagon with several sacks and a few baskets with colorful berries. "Help yourself to some berries or apples. You must be hungry."

"Oh, I couldn't possibly."

"We have plenty to last until the next harvest. Please." She motioned for Iduna to take some. "I know it's not much, but it should get something in your stomach until you can get a meal in Arendelle."

Iduna gave a nod of her head before she settled against the wall of the cart. Once the woman sat next to the man, who she guessed she was married to, the reins snapped, and the horse began to move down the road. Taking the woman up on her second offer, she grabbed a few bright red strawberries from the basket and enjoyed the sweet juice that slipped over her tongue when she bit into it. Iduna ate only a handful of the fruit, but it was enough to calm her angry stomach for a spell. She didn't want to take advantage of their kindness.

The ride down to Arendelle took much less time than it would have if she had to finish walking. When Percey announced they reached the outskirts of the capital, Iduna moved to get a look at the village up close. The cart followed a winding road through farmland. Families were out and about taking care of their crops even in the nasty weather. A young boy stopped his work of gathering hay to give her a wave. Iduna waved back with a small smile. Tall forms of wheat blew in a dance of symmetry each time the wind passed through. The couple stopped in front of a house at the end of the winding road before it went from dirt to stone.

"This is where we stop."

"You are more than welcome to join us inside for a proper meal."

Iduna smiled at the kind people, but she shook her head. She already owed them a return of kindness for the ride and the strawberries she had eaten, she couldn't fathom accepting anymore. "Thank you, but I should get going." Iduna remembered the man mentioning the King could help her. "I'm sure I'll get all the help I need from the King." She lied. She had no intention of going to the castle.

She quickly climbed from the cart and started for the stone path that would lead her into the crowded village.

"Child!" Agnetha called out to her. Iduna turned her head. "If you ever need anything, you can always find me in Berg Sweetshop in Market Square. My eldest daughter, Vera helps me there as well. If you can't find me just go to her. It was a pleasure to meet you…"

Her sentence trailed off. It just hit Iduna that she never gave them her name. How could she be so thoughtless? "Iduna. My name is Iduna."

The woman smiled. "Beautiful name. Take care of yourself, Iduna. Remember my offer."

Iduna didn't know if she would ever have the need, but she gave the woman a nod before heading into the crowded streets.

The rain had started just before they made it into the farmland of Arendelle, but it wasn't heavy enough to stop people from going out. The stone beneath her feet was cold and wet. She stepped in several puddles on her way down the hill that led her further into town. She didn't know where she was headed or what her next step was, but she just followed along where most of the people were walking.

She reached the end of the road that verged off in two different directions. At the end of one road was a large tower like building. The other had a statue made of some shiny metal. A loud chime came from the tall structure to her right and she had to cover her ears. It was really garish, and her ears vibrated. She decided to go to the left since most of the people went that direction anyway.

The statue came into sight much clearer when she got closer. It was of three people. One was the tall, towering figure of the King she saw a couple days ago. He had an arm wrapped around a woman who nearly matched his height. Was that his wife? The third figure was of the Prince, but he looked much younger, perhaps barely ten, but Iduna knew it had to be Prince Agnarr. The prominent nose matched her memory of his face. She continued her walk, but kept her eyes locked on the boy for a bit longer.

She found herself in a large space. Different shops lined two sides. The fjord right before her with large, wooden ships swaying in the rough water. Her mother's stories of the large vessels weren't an exaggeration. A wood path circled around them and people walked along them. Men tossed caught fish from some of the smaller ships, that reminded her of canoes, to another person who then put them in a barrel. In the center of the space was a large and long structure, where most of the people gathered around. Iduna made her way closer to see what was there. Children played around the space. Siblings chasing after the other in a sort of game. It reminded Iduna how she would play with the Wind Spirit.

Iduna moved around some of the people to make it under the structure made mostly of wood. She found several tables that held food mostly. She found one had baskets with different breads. Another had different cheeses. Iduna didn't know apples came in different colors other than red. Berries were on display and Iduna saw more bright strawberries. Her stomach growled again. Another table held fruit, but some she had never seen before. As she went further down, food became less, and other things were out. One lady had several herbs in glass jars. Iduna could name almost all of them. Some were best with tea, others could be made into a paste or liquid.

About two tables held fabric, but one had bundles of fabric and the other already had clothing made from them. Iduna ran her hand along a blue fabric that almost shined in the light of the candles. It was soft under her touch and smooth.

"Are you interested in that silk?"

"Pardon?" Iduna looked to the woman with a raised brow.

She motioned to the fabric Iduna touched with her hand. "The fabric. You like the blue silk?"

'_Silk? I have no idea what that is, but it feels wonderful.'_

Iduna removed her hand and shook her head. "No, just exploring around."

"Let me know if you change your mind."

Iduna moved on from the fabric. She neared the end of all the tables when she found a woman painting on some type of canvas. Back home, Iduna loved to paint. Her mother always made her new canvases from unneeded linen, but what the woman painted against was different. She was curious to know what it was. She stepped closer to get a better look at what she was creating.

It was a beautiful design even though Iduna didn't know what it was called. It almost matched the stitching along the bottom of the woman's tunic; a super long tunic that nearly touch the ground. Iduna had seen every female in the village wear a tunic so long it nearly covered their feet. So far it was only men who wore pants. It was the symbol in the center of the painting that made her speak out.

"Excuse me." Iduna called out to get the woman's attention.

Extremely light eyes turned in her direction and the woman smiled. She looked about a few years older than Iduna was. "Yes? How can I help you?"

Iduna pointed to the painting she was working on. "I am curious what that symbol is. I've seen it all over."

The girl placed her brush down and wiped her stained fingers on a cloth. "Not from around here I take it?"

Iduna gave a small shake of her head. "No. I'm from a small village far…east from here."

"Well that is quite a ways, but welcome to Arendelle."

"Thank you."

The woman turned back to her painting. "I'm painting Arendelle's official flower. The crocus flower symbolizes rebirth, and it brings hope to the people that someday spring will come after a harsh winter." The woman explained.

Iduna turned her head to look at the unfinished painting. The flower was being painted a gold against a light green background. A pale pink color was being used to create the type of swirl around the flower.

"It beautiful. The color choices are wonderful."

"Oh, thank you. I'm worried the green will drown the gold of the flower though."

Iduna gave it another glance. "You could try to outline the flower in a soft gray or black and fade it out. Even a white will make the flower pop more."

The woman's eyes seemed to enlarge as she glanced at the painting. "I never thought about doing that." She looked to Iduna with grateful eyes. "You have a great eye, thanks."

Iduna gave a smile and a nod. Her stomach rumbled again, and she knew she needed to find something to eat soon. Iduna gave the woman a wave before turning to head back to the other end that had the food. She stopped before the display with the different baked breads. The smell made its way into her nose and her stomach went crazy. Her mouth watered.

"May I have a loaf please?" Iduna asked.

The man gave a toothy grin. "Of course, young lady. One loaf is two Rigsdalers, unless you only want a half loaf then it is only one."

Iduna tilted her head. Her features twisted in a chaotic expression. "What are Rigsdalers?"

The man's smile disappeared. "Rigsdalers, you know, how your parents purchase your food."

Iduna was at a loss about what to say next. She had never heard of such a thing before. What did Rigsdalers do?

"Do you not have any?" He asked.

"No, sir, I'm sorry. I don't have any…Rigsdalers." The word sounded so strange to say.

"Then, I'm sorry, miss. I cannot give you any bread until you have the currency." The man said. "Now, please move along."

Iduna looked to the ground and backed away from the man and the freshly baked bread. She was filled with so much confusion. Her feet carried her body out into the steady down pour and the drops of rain bounced off her thick hair. Each droplet soaked in the strands and made them heavier. Iduna walked toward the fjord and placed her hand against a cold pole about the height of her hip. There were other's identical to the one she leaned against, evenly spaced out, and connected with metal that scooped. She watched as the wind blew the looped metal.

'_These…people. They do things so differently than we do. We've always helped each other. We shared amongst ourselves. They dress differently. Their food is different. They even share things differently.' _Iduna could feel the rivulets of water that her hair couldn't hold run down the sides of her face. Droplets fell from the tips of her fingers and splattered against the stone. _'What is the purpose of Rigsdalers? What in the world is currency?'_

Iduna watched as a teenage girl in a green bonnet handed a man by the water a couple of circled, silver objects and she was given two caught fish wrapped in some paper.

'_Are those the Rigsdalers that man was talking about?'_ Iduna worked the puzzle she just saw in her head. They had to be because she was given the fish in return for them. _'If those are needed to get food or anything here, then how do I obtain some?'_

Iduna watched the girl quickly leave the area around the fjord and return to a waiting man. She guessed he was her father. He was much too aged to be anything else. Iduna's stomach grumbled again. She felt sharp pains in her abdomen and her hand could not make it stop. She figured she had two choices to make, either take some food when no one was paying attention, or she would have to continue to kill animals in the woods to satisfy her stomach.

'_Or you could actually do what that man had said. Perhaps the King could help you.'_ Iduna looked over to the enormous structure made of stone and wood. _'But the King died in the Enchanted Forest, does that mean his son, the Prince, is now King?' _Iduna wondered as she took in the wonderful arrangement. _'If that is the case, then doing that option is a bad idea. I can't risk him remembering me.'_

All around her people began to murmur. Iduna looked around to see what they were all worked up about. Coming through the large area were a bunch of horses with riders. Iduna made her way closer to get a better look. She kept close to one of the pillars that held up the wooden cover in the middle of the space. Everyone around her lowered their heads when the horses began to walk through. Iduna was even more confused and tried to lift herself higher to get a better look. She peeked through the gap of two people and was surprised at who she saw on one of the horses.

His blond hair was darker from the rain that soaked up into it. His eyes looked down, like he was studying the mane of his horse, with sadness and hurt, but it was him; it was the young Prince. Iduna noticed he didn't look as pale as he had since she last saw him with an injured skull, but he looked as if he was still suffering. His clothing was different as well. He wore mainly black, which was different than the green she had seen weeks ago.

"I can't imagine what the young royal must be feeling." The man in front of her spoke to the other next to him. "To bury a loved one so young."

"The poor lad didn't get to know his mother, and now he has lost his father too." The other man spoke.

"Do you know of any family that will visit to check on him?"

"I know King Runeard, may he rest in peace, has a younger sister that lives in a kingdom not far from here. Perhaps she'll visit King Agnarr. His Majesty is her only living family now since her brother passed."

Iduna's attention was taken away when her stomach protested for the hundredth time. She backed away from the men to not disturb them with her loud stomach pains. The delicious smell of the baked bread next to her mesmerized Iduna.

'_Would it really hurt if I just took one? I mean, I won't take a large loaf, maybe just a half.'_ Iduna stepped closer to the baskets. Her eyes went in every direction to make sure no one was looking, but they were still occupied with the passing group the young King was a part of. _'I promise to repay him for the loss when I can.'_

Iduna could hear her heart pump in her ear. Her teeth bit the inside of her mouth as she reached for some bread. Her fingers curled around a loaf and the warmth of it started to defrost her fingers. She felt her skin heat up from the adrenaline of her action. She pulled it free from the basket and she could already taste it in her mouth.

"You!"

Iduna's head snapped in the direction of the loud voice. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw it was the man who denied her the bread earlier.

"Stop there." He gave her a terrifying look as he started for her.

Iduna made quick work of her dancing feet. She took off into the rest of the tables. She twisted around people who looked confused at what was happening. Her hip bumped into the edge of a basket and knocked it over. It crashed to the ground and several round, orange fruits spilled onto the ground.

"Someone stop her!"

Iduna took off again. "Sorry about the fruit." She breathed to the woman as she ran past.

The man was much closer to her now. Iduna pressed the loaf of bread to her chest as she pushed past people. She could hear them gasp and grunt when they were pushed aside.

"Stop thief!"

Iduna turned to get away from the crowded space. If she had a larger area, she could probably get away easier. When she neared the less crowded area, her foot caught against something and she tumbled to the ground. The bread she held flew from her chest and her arms stung when they scrapped against the wood. She sucked in a harsh breath to keep the scream down. Her wounds from earlier burned.

"Hey! You!" The man shouted as he broke into the space.

Iduna tried to scramble herself back to her feet, but she wasn't quick enough. Her arm was grasped over her burning scratches and the man started to drag her over to one of the closest tables. She tried to free her throbbing arm by clawing at his hand and digging her feet into the ground, but he overpowered her.

"No one steals from my stall and gets away unpunished. Do you know what the punishment for stealing is, little girl?"

Iduna continued to struggle against his pull, but she grew frustrated.

'_Punishment?! The only punishment I know of is having to wash all the laundry in my tribe.'_

The man slammed her arm down against the wood of the stall, and she felt the bone in her wrist pop. A yelp slipped past her lips from the throbbing pain up her arm. Her eyes, blurring with unshed tears, looked up at the angry man. His free arm was raised above his head and a palm sized, jagged rock was wrapped in his fingers.

"Those who steal, get their hand broken."

Iduna looked at him with pleading eyes. "No! Please!" Her heart pounded beneath her breast. She closed her eyes and waited for the unimaginable pain that was sure to come.

'_I never should have come to this place. Why didn't I just accept the meal that couple offered? Mother, please help me.'_ Iduna appealed. She could feel the tears glide from her closed lashes.

She heard someone let out a breathed grunt. "What do you think you're doing?!" She heard a new voice. It was rough and breathy.

"Your Majesty!"

Iduna opened her eyes quickly and found herself before the young Prince, or should she say King. The King's focus wasn't on her, but on the man whose arm he held from crushing her trapped hand.

"This girl is a thief. She was stealing bread from me." His angry voice from before disappeared and turned nervous.

"This girl is a child! Even if she stole something, that does not give you the right to take punishment into your own hands." King Agnarr's voice was steady, but powerful. Iduna felt herself tremble from the tone, or was it the cold? "If you have a grievance, then you come to the castle with the guilty party, and we sort it out there. We do not go around breaking the hands of children, especially a young lady."

Iduna remained quiet as the young King stared up into the taller man's eyes with a hard expression.

"I apologize if I've stepped to far, Your Grace." The man said with a bowed head.

"It is not me who you should be apologizing too." The King took his hand away and back to his side. "Now, I ask that you release this young lady's arm and give her your apology."

The moment Iduna's arm was freed she embraced her aching wrist to her chest. "An apology isn't really-"

"No, the King is right. I shouldn't have let my anger get the better of me. Especially towards a young lady such as yourself. I'm sorry." His voice was tight, like his words were forced.

Iduna wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. She just stared at the uncomfortable man as he looked in every direction but the King's. Thinking it best, she just gave a nod to his words.

"There. Now," King Agnarr pulled out a couple silver Rigsdalers and handed them to the man, "that should cover the cost of the bread she took. You can carry on with your day knowing you lost nothing."

"It is much appreciated, Your Grace." The man gave him a deep bow. "Thank you." Was the last thing he said before he walked away.

Iduna felt like she could finally breathe. Her lungs deflated harshly and that brought the King's attention to her. Iduna frozen when his green eyes looked at her. She waited for him to recognize her and have his men kill her for being Northuldra, but he only gave her a soft smile.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

His voice sounded like it did that day she met him in the forest. It was higher in pitch, but that could be because he was still a young boy waiting to grow into a man. The concerned look his eyes took and how his arms reached out towards her, she took a step back. He seemed to notice her terrified reaction and slowly lowered his arms back down.

"I'll be alright." Iduna finally spoke with hesitation.

The King lowered his brows. "Pardon me for saying, but you don't _look_ alright. You _look_ tired and pale. And it looks like your wrist has been wounded."

Iduna looked down at her wrist that she held close to her body. "I'm sure it's nothing—" Iduna covered her wrist, "Your Grace." Iduna recalled the name the man had called him.

King Agnarr looked her over very quickly before he lifted his shoulders with a deep breath. His head turned towards one of the men still on their horse. "Captain, can you please tell Sten he is to meet me in the library?"

Iduna watched the man give the King a bow of his head and an arm across his chest. "Of course, Sire."

"Oh and ask Gerda to have a bath prepared for the young lady, and some fresh clothing. Then inform the kitchen to have an extra meal brought up to the library once she has finished? Nothing too heavy for me though."

"I shall get to it right away." He didn't wait and started for the castle.

"Wait, you don't have to do that, Your Grace." Iduna argued.

"You're right, I don't, but I want to."

"It's really not necessary." She tried again.

The King gave Iduna his full attention again. "You need to have that wrist looked at, and Sten is the best person for the job. Not to mention you stole that bread for a reason I can only guess, and you are hardly dressed to be out here. I can see you shaking from the cold from where I'm standing." Iduna clamped her mouth shut. "Once you have warmed yourself in a hot bath and gotten some food in your belly, I'll have Sten look you over. Then I have a few questions before you can be on your way."

Iduna could hardly argue with the King. Even if he was still just a boy. If he was anything like the leader of her people, it was best if she didn't argue and just went along with what he asked. Iduna let her fighting nature disappear.

"Of course."

"Please." The King motioned for her to head towards the castle with his arm. She hesitated slightly before she moved in the direction with him right beside her.

The King grabbed the reigns of his horse on their way to his home. Iduna eyed the large stone wall that circled around the actual castle. The rain soaked into the fabric that hung along the outside of the stone. The wind had picked up in speed and the rain pounded her back. The wet fabric slapped against the stone in a crazy dance.

"Everything okay?" The King's voice drew her attention from the large wall.

Iduna took notice she had stopped walking nearly halfway across the bridge and the King was in front of her with his horse. "Oh, sorry. Yes, everything's good." She lied. In truth the large wall surrounding the castle made her feel unease. Going from open fields and mountains to crowded roads and walls, Iduna wasn't sure what to think or how to feel. She felt like she was headed in a random direction and couldn't find her way back. But she didn't voice these thoughts, instead she lied and gave him a smile. "Just tired." She crossed her arms over her chest and gave a shake from the wind blowing over her wet clothes.

She watched the King look back to the castle then returned his green eyes to her. Iduna took in a quick breath of air and a bit of rainwater. Just like that day in the forest, his eyes mesmerized her. They were as green as she remembered. They held a brightness that drew her in deeper. So welcoming. So beautiful.

"We better get inside before the weather gets any worse." King Agnarr jerked his head towards the castle. Iduna agreed with him and quickly caught up to his side.

Once they passed through the large carved doors at the end of the bridge, the King took a turn to the right. Iduna followed closely behind. His boots splashed in puddles as he crossed the overly large space to the wall. Iduna started to tremble from the continuous cold rain and her arms tried to provide warmth, but it failed. She was actually looking forward to having a hot bath and some dry clothing.

King Agnarr walked through an open door with his horse. Iduna waited just under the door and enjoyed the relief from the rain. The smell of livestock worked its way into her nose, and it reminded her of the reindeer she spent herding through the forest with her Northuldra family. Hay lingered on the floor, barrels stacked around in corners, and stalls made of dark wood housed horses both awake and asleep. The light from burning torches flickered off their coats.

"Have Fenrir dried and brushed. Once back in his stall, can you make sure he has his nightly treat?" King Agnarr addressed to a boy just a bit taller than he. He gave the King a bow and took the reins from him.

"A red or green apple tonight, Your Majesty?" The boy asked.

"A red tonight, thank you." King Agnarr smiled to the boy.

Iduna watched the boy lead the soaked horse further down the space between the stalls and the wall. The fire swaying as they passed by them. The King made his way back to her.

"I'm glad the stable hand can take care of my horse, that way I can get you inside the castle sooner for that hot bath. You are shaking so much I worry you won't be able to walk soon." King Agnarr looked at her with concern.

A small part of her warmed at his worry for her. "No need to fret, Your Majesty. I'm okay." Her teeth chattered as she spoke.

King Agnarr gave a tiny chuckle. "I might actually believe you if you weren't so pale and your lips were not starting to turn blue." Iduna laughed through trembling lips. "I hate to say it, but we have to brave the rain once more to reach the castle doors. Gerda should have the bath ready for you when we get inside." Iduna watched the King remove his coat and move to stand beside her. "Hopefully this will help a little." He lifted the wet coat above both their heads. Iduna felt her cheeks take up all the heat left in her body.

Iduna raced back into the cold, windy rain with the young King running beside her. Doing his best to hold the coat over them both, but Iduna saw he was mostly holding it over her head and not his own. Her bare feet slipped along the stone ground, but with the King's body so close to hers, Iduna was kept steady. Her saturated hair was blown around in both the wind and her run. Thick strands glued themselves to her cheek and forehead. King Agnarr's hair was going just as wild as her own, but with less length.

Before they made it up the steps, the castle's large wooden doors were pulled open. Iduna could see a few people standing inside, waiting. The King and Iduna skidded to a stop just beyond the doors that closed after they crossed. King Agnarr lowered his coat from above their heads, and it was taken from him by a slightly round man. He was handed a large bundle of fabric that he ran through his hair to rid it of water. She watched him as she stood shaking and dripping on the wooden floor.

Someone tried to wrap something large around Iduna's shoulders and it started her so much she yelped. She crouched her upper body away out of fear. Her yelp had caught everyone's attention that had been waiting for them at the front doors. When Iduna turned to see who had been behind her, she immediately felt bad. A woman who looked to be a few years older than she, held a large blanket-sized cloth and a worried look. Iduna realized the woman was just trying to help get her dry.

King Agnarr stepped up to Iduna. "Sorry about that. The staff can sometimes do things you don't expect. No need to be scared though." King Agnarr held his palm up towards the woman. "This is Gerda. She's the one in charge of getting you cleaned up and warm."

Iduna relaxed when the woman placed the warm cloth around her shoulders and rubbed it against her arms. "The bath was being finished up when I left. I'll bring her to the library once she is dressed, Your Grace." Gerda informed the King. "Come along, dearie."

Gerda began to pull Iduna towards the large staircase at the far end of the room. Iduna turned her neck around to look at the King before she climbed the stairs. Another cloth was tossed around his shoulders by the rounder man whose lips were moving. King Agnarr was watching her leave with Gerda when she looked to his eyes. His smile was warm but goofy, and he gave her an encouraging nod before he turned to the man.

"You poor thing, you're freezing." The woman fussed over her current state as she guided them up the stairs then to the right down a long hall. Iduna didn't turn her head from the King until he was out of sight. "Let's get you warm before you catch a cold."

* * *

**A**nother bucket of water was poured over Iduna's head to remove any remaining soap Gerda had scrubbed into her thick curls. Iduna pushed back the hair that fell over the front of her face and wiped away the falling water from her eyes. She let out a small gasp from the brisker water against her hot skin.

"There we go." Gerda spoke after moments of quiet between the two. "Feeling a bit better now that the chill is gone from your bones?" Gerda asked as she walked from behind Iduna and had a few folded linens over her arm.

Iduna quickly crossed her arms over her chest to try and cover herself as much as she could. Bare as the day she was born in front of a woman she didn't know, Iduna felt completely uncomfortable. "I really could have washed myself, you know."

Gerda reached her hand out and grasped Iduna's upper arm to help her step out of the basin. "I don't mind helping you, dear. I've helped many noble ladies who have come to visit this castle." Gerda handed Iduna the linen and she immediately covered the front of her body. Gerda used another on her back. "Besides, His Majesty said it is my job to make sure you are taken care of, and that is what I shall do until he informs otherwise."

Iduna tried not to think too much into Gerda's words as she stayed busy drying off the front of her naked body. She ran the cloth through her hair to lighten the weight upon her head. Iduna noticed Gerda had fallen quiet behind her and her hands hadn't moved from her upper back since she last spoke. She looked into the mirror attached to the table across from her and saw Gerda was looking over her skin with a pained expression.

Iduna knew what she was looking at, she had made the same face when she saw the bruises on her legs and the cuts on her arms. Iduna, suddenly self-conscious, wrapped the cloth under her arms to hid most of her body and the marks that clearly seemed to distress the woman. Her sudden movement shook Gerda from her staring and return her to the current space. She gave Iduna a smile before walking over to a chair and placed the damp cloth on the cushion. On her way back to Iduna, she grabbed what looked like a long tunic made of a sheerer fabric than the leather she was used to.

Gerda held it up and Iduna noticed she was wanting to put it on her. She dropped the cloth around her feet and allowed Gerda to slip the fabric over her head. Iduna struggled a bit to get her arms through the longer sleeves, but when she got her injured wrist through the fabric it flowed down her legs and stopped just below her knees. Iduna marveled at the silky like fabric against her skin. It was a thinner material, but thick enough no one could see her body underneath.

"Perfect. I knew none of the cotton chemise would fit you because you're so tiny, so I had to dig around. The silk chemises are made for higher ladies, but it'll be our secret." Gerda smiled with a wink.

Gerda moved Iduna across the floor and to the table with a mirror. Gerda placed her in the chair and pulled her curls free from beneath the long tunic—_chemise_. Gerda started to run a comb through her tangled hair.

"I can do that, Gerda." Iduna went to grab the comb from her hand.

"Nonsense, child." Gerda squeezed Iduna's hand and then went back to work on her hair.

"I'm not someone special, Gerda, you don't have to treat me as if I am more than what I am." Iduna watched her through the mirror.

Her expression was soft. "I haven't had a young lady to look after since the passing of late Queen Rita, so having you brought here has given me pleasure in doing something I enjoy again."

Iduna dropped the fight to try and do everything herself and allowed Gerda's gentle fingers to finish her hair. It didn't take her long to finish with the comb and once she placed it back on the table she grabbed for a jar of oil. She coated her hands with some and ran it through her locks. It smelled of lavender and reminded Iduna of her mother's scent. Gerda rubbed some of the oil on both Iduna's hands, keeping in mind of her bruising wrist, before removing it with a piece of cloth.

Iduna felt the woman's fingers gather some of her hair and began to braid it on the left side first. "If I may, how did you end up with all your bruises? You look like you've been through something terrible." Iduna suddenly tensed her shoulders and it didn't go unnoticed by Gerda. "Has someone laid a hand against you?"

Iduna looked into Gerda's eyes through the mirror. Her teeth bit into the skin inside her mouth before she spoke. "No, no, besides the one forming on my wrist, all the other injuries are from the time I spent in the woods." Her words came out carefully and hesitant.

"How did you end up in the woods? Where is your family?" Iduna held the untied braid for her as she moved to do another on the right side.

"My village was attacked." Iduna continued to speak in a cautious voice, sticking to the story she created for the two people who let her ride in the wagon to Arendelle. "My mother was killed during the fight and I ran until I couldn't anymore."

Gerda sectioned Iduna's hair to begin French braiding it. She wove the first two braids into the larger one. "I'm so sorry about your mother. Do you have any other family?"

"No, my mother was all I had, and I only knew the people of my small village." Iduna forced her sobs down before they broke past the wall she created.

When she reached the end of her braid, Gerda wrapped a leather tie around the hair to hold it together. "You're left all alone in this world." Gerda's voice was only a whisper, and Iduna wondered if she had meant to say that out loud. "Well, I know the King will help you settle in the village. A place to sleep and food in your belly." She dropped the hair on Iduna's back then began to pull it out. Making the braid look much thicker than it already was.

The quiet that fell around them both was interrupted by the grumble of Iduna's stomach. Her cheeks burned from embarrassment and Gerda chuckled behind her.

"Come. Let's finish getting you dressed so you can eat." Gerda said. "You look about the same size as my younger sister, so I hope her dress fits you. She never wore it because of the color."

Iduna allowed the woman to slip the lavender cotton stockings up her legs and tied them so they stayed in place. The next item Gerda had grabbed from the pile made Iduna look utterly perplexed. It was nothing she had ever seen before among her people. A long fabric with ties hanging from one end.

"Have you not yet worn one?" Gerda asked her after seeing the look on her face. Iduna only shook her head, her braid falling over her shoulder from the wobble. "You look of age to be wearing one. How old are you?"

"I just turned thirteen last month." Iduna replied.

"Ah, so you just turned of age." Gerda stepped behind Iduna and wrapped the stiff fabric around her torso. It pressed the chemise to her breast down to her hips. "This is a corset. To help with making a young ladies figure look nice and offer posture support."

Iduna thought her figure was just fine the way it was now, but she had to remember the people of Arendelle dressed much differently than her people. So, she remained quiet about her thought. Gerda had asked her to hold the corset in place while she got the laces in place. She felt Gerda pull against the laces and the corset got tighter around her chest. She sucked in a large breath as it hugged her snug.

"Don't worry, I won't tighten it any more than this." Gerda informed and Iduna gave a sigh of relief. "Once you get used to wearing the corset it will be tightened to give your body the perfect shape." Iduna wanted to groan at the thought, but she remained silent as Gerda finished working the laces.

Gerda then had Iduna step into a white petticoat Gerda called it and slipped it up to her waist over the corset and worked the laces into a bow. The cotton skirt reached just above her ankles with a lacy design along the bottom. Iduna started to fidget at how many items it was taking to get her dressed. Usually all she had to do was slip her cotton stockings and her wool pants on. Then her boots. Some days she went without her leather tunic, but she was dressed for the day within minutes. The clothing the Arendellian's wore took much longer.

Gerda spoke when she noticed Iduna's squirming. "We are almost done, dearie. I know dressing is a boring process, especially when more items are added when older."

Iduna couldn't agree with the woman more, but she was right when she said she was almost done. Gerda pulled a lavender, long-sleeved linen blouse over her head with a patterned collar that hugged her neck. Next was a darker purple wool skirt with an embroidery pattern of pink and blue along the hem. Her skirt color reminded Iduna of a grape. Gerda pulled it over her head and buttoned it around her waist then pulled the skirt down over the petticoat so only the lacy detail was seen. The last article Gerda had to place on her was a cotton top that matched the color of her skirt with a matching embroidery design; only larger. Gerda pulled the laces in the back down until the top closed around her chest. Iduna felt her tuck the laces under the top to hide them from view.

"There you are, dearie. All properly dressed." Gerda continued to adjust her clothing as she spoke.

Iduna looked at herself in the mirror of the table and she saw a strange girl looking back at her. Although her face was the same, only with color again, but the rest was unrecognizable. The clothing she had to admit both beautiful and would work to keep her warm, but it also felt very constricting; especially the corset around her torso. The skirts would make it harder for her to run or climb trees as well. She guessed when it came to a time she needed to do either, she would have to learn how to work around them or simply take them off.

"It fits you almost perfectly. Maybe a bit loose in some areas, but you are pretty thin right now. I'm sure after a few meals you'll start to fill it in. Let's see if the shoes fit." Gerda handed Iduna a pair of black shoes with a tiny heel.

Iduna slipped them over the stockings. She wiggled her toes in them to get a feel. "They are a bit roomy around my toes, but they fit good."

"Then you are ready to meet back with the King." Gerda announced as she started to lead the girl from the room.

Iduna had to quickly grab her scarf from the pile of Northuldra clothing she would most likely never see again on her way out the door. Gerda closed the white painted door behind them. Iduna wrapped her scarf around her shoulders, and she felt the weight of comfort from her mother embrace her. It was still damp from the rain, but the fire from the room she was bathed and dressed in had dried it enough. Gerda lead her down the hall of the castle.

Iduna was captivated by all the things she passed by in the castle. The walls were dressed in red. The rug under her feet was a shade darker than the walls and used to cover the shiny wooden floor beneath it. She came across a metal man placed near a window and Gerda explained it was an old suit of armor the soldiers used for war in a time long ago. Iduna walked away from the armor when a loud crack rattled the window. Iduna looked at the different paintings on the walls as she passed them. Some held landscapes of farmland, mountains, or a forest. Other's held pictures of people she didn't know.

Iduna turned her head just in time to stop herself from running into Gerda who had stopped walking. Iduna gave her a sheepish grin to play it off. Gerda placed a hand on her upper arm and pointed with the other.

"The castle library is that door on the left. His Grace is waiting for you." Gerda gave her arm a squeeze before she released it. "I enjoyed our talks, dearie. I hope I get to see you again soon."

Iduna grabbed Gerda's hand between her own and smiled softly. "It was a pleasure for me as well, Gerda. Thank you for all your help. It's be a while since I had someone take care of me that way. Maybe one day, I can return your kindness."

Iduna saw Gerda's heart melt at her words and she suddenly wrapped Iduna in her arms. Gerda was gentle with her embrace because of Iduna's beaten body, but her hug filled Iduna with both sadness and warmth. She raised her own arms to return Gerda's hug. Iduna hadn't known how much she needed a hug after the last two weeks she's had. Trying to survive on her own in unfamiliar woods, dealing with the grief of losing everyone she knew, and the events in the village just that morning. Her body might be battered on the outside, but her true wounds lied deep beyond her skin. Gerda's loving encirclement started to heal her damaged soul. She repeated to herself not to cry, she didn't need to spill her secrets to a woman she couldn't trust them with; she couldn't trust anyone in Arendelle with them.

"I shouldn't keep you from His Grace and I need to get back to my chores." Gerda released Iduna and rubbed her eyes with a big sigh. "Maybe I will see you around the village, dear."

Iduna gave a nod to Gerda and the woman began down the hall in the way they had come from. She turned to head towards the library door before she stopped and turned back to Gerda. "Iduna." She called out to her.

Gerda turned her head back to Iduna. "Pardon?"

"My name. I realize I never told you it. It's Iduna."

Gerda's smile grew bigger before she left down the hall again. Iduna watched her 'round the corner at the end before she faced the direction she needed to go. Her feet padded quietly against the carpet and slowed once she got closer to the door. It was white with yellow and blue paintings along it; just like her dress had. Iduna was starting to notice it was everywhere around the kingdom. As she came upon the door, Iduna noticed it wasn't shut all the way and the voices beyond it could be heard. She took a moment to listen.

"I don't know why, I just felt like I have to help her, Kai." It was the young King's voice that she heard. "She was stealing the bread for a reason. Either to feed herself or someone she cared enough about to risk the consequences. Perhaps a younger sibling?"

He was talking about her!

"I understand, Sire." Iduna guessed that voice belonged to the man named Kai. It was too deep to belong to King Agnarr.

"I mean, what was I supposed to do? Let that man just break her hand because she couldn't pay for it? What kind of King would that make me if I just watched him break a young girl's hand?"

"I think you did the right thing, Agnarr."

"You are among the few who think that." She heard the loud sigh he released. "Some of the nobles think I should have left her to be punished, so she wouldn't think to steal again." The air fell silent. "But how would she get food the next time she was hungry? If she had to steal it the first time, I can guess she'd have to again. She doesn't have any Rigsdalers, and probably has no way of getting any."

"You seem very passionate about this, Sire." Iduna had to agree with Kai. The King seemed very worked up about what had almost happened to her in the village.

"Of course I am." His voice rose louder. "That girl won't be the last one to resolve to stealing food from lack of currency, there will be others, and I won't be around to save them all from merchants who want to punish them themselves. What is there for me to do?"

"Your Majesty—"

Iduna pushed herself further against the wood around the door to increase her hearing, but she leaned to far on her injured wrist and a cry escaped her lips at the same time she went tumbling to the floor. Her backside pushed the door open further on her way down. She landed on her knees with her skirts tangling around her legs. When she looked up at the two men who gasped from her loud entrance, she saw two different expressions. One with worry and the other with confusion.

Iduna swallowed the lump that caught in her throat.

* * *

_Thank you to those who have followed and __favorited this story so far! You guys are the inspiration I get to write my best! I love seeing new __notifications for new followers and hearing what you guys think! It makes my day._


	7. Chapter Six

_I'm glad I divided the chapter in two because it would have been nearly 20,000 words together. These two chapters are the core of their relationship sparking. From here their friendship and feelings just continue to grow.  
_

_I hope you enjoy, and see you in the next update! Let me know what you liked most or wish to see in a chapter! Don't be afraid to share!_

* * *

Chapter Six  
_The Orphanage_

_Iduna  
__Spring, April 1814_

**I**t seemed as if time itself had stopped the moment Iduna landed against the hard wood of the floor. She felt frozen in place, to unsure to even think of moving, with her skirts tangled around her legs and both men staring with startled eyes. Their lips parted to different depths. It was clear upon their body language that they hadn't expected someone to come crashing into the library the way she had. The silence of the room made her feel even more uncomfortable as neither man motioned to move.

The man she presumed to be Kai, the same man who had been waiting for them at the front doors and handed the King the linen cloths, looked at her with such confusion. His head tilted slightly to the side and his brows lowered into his gray eyes. He stood the furthest away from her, next to the far side of the large burning firepit, with a piece of parchment dropped to his side.

King Agnarr looked at her both with surprised eyes and a worried facial expression. His body was closer to her than Kai's. Placed in front of the firepit, his arms wrapped behind his back and hands clasped together. He looked like he had been pacing back and forth before the burning wood by how he had twisted his body to look at her upon crashing into the room.

Iduna fell into the King's gaze and the heat in her body grew a few degrees. Here she was sprawled on the floor in front of someone who was of great importance and could do nothing but gawk at him. Iduna realized she should either say something to explain the situation or get up from the floor, but her mouth must have been glued shut and her legs seemed to have stopped listening to her brain. Her fingers clutched the fabric of her skirts and her teeth bit down on her lip.

'_Come on legs! Move!'_ She remained on the floor with her legs folded into her thighs. _'Why am I so clumsy today?!'_

The silence around the three of them started to drown her. The flames made crackling pops when it created new fractures in the heated logs. The rain outside tapped against the glass that sounded similar to overlapped applause of a large crowd. The flashing light of nature left as quick as it came, but not before highlighting the objects placed in its path. A brassy roll of thunder vibrated across the sky and shook the window a bit. It was the thunderous drum that made everybody move for the first time since Iduna tumbled into the large library.

Kai was the first to speak and filled the deafening space with his rich and jovial voice. "It would seem our guest has arrived, Sire." Kai smiled down at her. His foot stepped out from beside the other to point towards her. She guessed Kai was intending to make his way over to help her up from the floor, but his foot only took one step and it didn't take another.

The young King had moved his feet much faster than Kai had. He was already beside Iduna when Kai had taken his first step. His hand was reached out, palm facing up, with his fingers ready to close around her hand when she finally took his offer. Iduna looked from his hand to his eyes. He was standing slightly slouched over, lower in height to reach her better, and his legs slightly spread to put all his weight on them when he pulled her up. By the time he spoke, Iduna knew she had been staring at him far too long without taking his hand.

"Here. Let's get you up from the floor. I don't imagine it's very comfortable." His hand lowered just a bit more. The corner of his mouth twitched upwards as he locked his eyes on her.

Iduna, finally finding it in her to move, reached her hand out. The King clasped his fingers gently around her hand and offered her support as Iduna worked to get herself back to her feet. She pulled at the bundle of fabric to untwist it from her legs before she began to move her legs. When the King pulled to help her up, she sucked in a large breath of air. His movement stopped at the sound of pain she made. Iduna realized she had given him her bruised wrist and he seemed to take notice as well when he quickly glanced down at her hand. He lessened his grip and grabbed the upper part of her arm with his other hand to continue helping her up. Iduna held the large bundle of her skirts out of the way from her legs as her body finally got to its feet. She slipped her heels back into the shoes slightly too big for her feet.

Iduna bowed her head, like she had seen many others do in his presence, once she was off the floor. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

The King gave his shoulders a small shrug. "My pleasure." The King spoke as he dropped his hand from around hers but kept the one on her upper arm. King Agnarr turned his body enough to give Kai his attention; his hand remained on Iduna's upper arm and shifted the fabric of her sleeve to bunch under his palm from his turn. "Kai, you can tell Sten that I'm ready for him. Also, inform the kitchen they can bring the meal now that our guest has finished bathing. A late lunch is better than no lunch." His cheeks widened from a smile.

Kai gave him a deep bow. "Of course, Sire."

Iduna watched the man dressed in green and purple make his way from the library, passing both the King and her, and closed the door behind him. Once the door clicked from being closed, Iduna found herself alone with the young royal in a room that was unnecessarily large. King Agnarr turned his full attention to her once again. His hand still rested on her arm and his smile still forced his cheeks to lift.

"I trust that Gerda took good care of you?" He wondered.

Iduna nodded. Her fingers covered over her aching wrist she cradled against her stomach. "She did. It was wonderful having Gerda as company. I never would have figured out how to put on the corset if it wasn't for—" Iduna clamped her teeth into her bottom lip to stop her mouth from speaking. The look on the King's face showed he was uncomfortable at her mentioning her under dressings. "I apologize, I hadn't meant to—wh-what I was trying—" Iduna let out an embarrassed chuckle and gave herself a moment. "Sometimes when I get nervous my mouth just talks without thinking."

"It's quite alright." The uncomfortable look melted away and his smile returned. His palm finally dropped from her arm and wrapped behind his back again. Her arm was warmer where his hand had been. "I'm pleased to hear Gerda treated you well. You certainly look much better. No longer so pale. And your lips seem to have gained their color again. Are you warm enough?"

"I am. The hot water certainly helped with that." Iduna nodded. Her fingers rubbed in light circles around her darkening bruises. "It's been awhile since I've had a hot bath like that."

She saw his brows twitch at her last statement. His mouth opened to speak but a knock followed by the door opening prevented his words from forming. Iduna turned her body to see who was entering the room filled with books. Iduna's feet stepped back further into the room and so she wasn't so close to the doors.

The person that entered the room lit by the large firepit and the several candles spread throughout the room had a pleasant smile on their face. The man had powder white hair fluffed around his ears. Iduna could see it was thinning on the top, but the elderly man had it combed over to cover the balding spot. His gleaming eyes hidden behind glasses were a warming brown, but watery due to his long years in the world. The peppery mustache on his upper lip was full and probably needed to be trimmed, but it suited his timeworn face full of wrinkles. As he walked into the room, Iduna saw he was a bit unsteady in his black shoes.

"Good afternoon, Your Majesty." The elderly man spoke in a slightly hoarse tone. Iduna guessed it was from his years. It almost reminded her of the Northuldra Leader when he would speak. "How is your head feeling? You haven't come to see me in a couple days for your herbs."

Iduna saw King Agnarr smile fondly at the elderly man. Iduna took a guess this man was Sten and also the physician he wanted to look over her wrist.

"Nice to see you as always, Sten, and straight to the point as usual." King Agnarr joked. "As I had said last time, my head is fine. I haven't had a headache in days."

Iduna felt relief at hearing he didn't suffer from aftereffects of his damaged skull. She remembered the feeling in her stomach when she found his blood on her palm after pulling it from the back of his head. How his blood had mixed with her mothers on her tunic when she held him to her body as the Wind Spirit carried them to safety. Iduna could also recall how much had soaked into that sack before a guard had wrapped his head to stop the flow. She sucked in a harsh breath when her fingers dug in too deep against the developing bruises.

The elderly man, Sten, turned his attention towards Iduna at the sound of her pain. "This must be the guest you had informed me you wanted looked at?" His thick, unkept brow raised in question as he came closer to her. Iduna caught the scent of pine in his clothing.

"Yes." He gave a single nod. "She was roughly handled by a merchant earlier today."

Sten occupied her personal space to glance her over. As he gripped her chin with his crooked fingers, Iduna was starting to realize most Arendellian's didn't give a second thought before assaulting someone's personal boundaries. Sten's eyes crinkled, very prominent crow's feet appeared in the corners, while he looked over the deep bruise in her hair line. He muttered to himself as he tilted her head around. His shaken hand dropped from her chin, only to reach down and gently toke her hand within his own. He was careful not to touch any part of the damaging skin, but he did twist it carefully to look over it fully.

"This merchant seems to have done quite some damage." Sten finally spoke in a voice loud enough for both King Agnarr and herself to hear him. "The bruise and cut on her forehead are nothing to be concerned about, that will heal within the next two weeks, but her wrist is a fear. I'll need to get a closer look." His warming brown eyes looked up to her. "It will hurt a bit, but I need to feel around the forming contusions to get a better idea of the severity."

Iduna grew concerned from his words. Although his tone was calm, Iduna knew how to read between lines. "I'm not scared of a little pain."

Her hand was released from his grasp. "Come, have a seat on the chaise and I'll get started." Iduna followed behind Sten towards the large chaise placed before the firepit. The burning wood made more frequent pops. Sten offered for her to sit first. The deep green fabric was soft under her hands and she sank into the plush seat.

"I'm first going to apply some Helichrysum to that cut on your forehead." She watched him pull out a tiny jar of a paled yellow liquid from the basket he placed on the floor by his feet. "It will help with preventing infection, although it already looks to be scabbing over."

Iduna caught the King moving in the corner of her eye until he sat himself in a matching chair near her. "That might be because I got that wound about two weeks ago. The bruise is from hitting a low hanging tree branch a few days ago which also pulled the first scab off."

Sten glanced in King Agnarr's direction with a look she couldn't identify, but he erased it before she had the time to really figure it out. "Have you gotten any headaches since then?" He covered the top with his thumb and tilted the jar over. His thumb coated with the strong-smelling oil. A mixture of straw and fruit.

"My head only hurt for an hour or two after." Iduna answered.

"Any vomiting?" Sten reached up with his thumb to apply the oil over the area. It felt cool against her skin.

"None."

Sten lowered his arm and recapped the tiny jar before putting it back in the basket. "That's good to hear." Her hand was grabbed again and brought to his lap as he looked it over. "You must have been grabbed hard. The contusions are forming into a handprint." Iduna wasn't sure if he was speaking to her or himself. "Alright, my dear, I will be as gentle as I can be, but if any area hurts then you must let me know."

"Of course." Iduna nodded her head as she spoke.

Sten began to press his rough fingers into the damaged skin of her left wrist and she winched at the tenderness. It hurt, but she didn't make a sound. Another knock at the door echoed around in the silence and Iduna watched the King push up from the chair and made his way across the space to answer.

"Lunch for you and our guest, Your Grace." She heard a faint female voice behind the opened door. She watched the King take a step out of the way and three people entered the room. Two of them she recognized. Gerda came into the room behind the first female with a silver tray covered with a matching dome; same as the first female carried. Kai followed behind both women holding a tray, with two mugs and a jug, by the handles.

"You can set the trays on the table behind the chaise. I'll take it from there." King Agnarr instructed.

Iduna watched the castle staff arrange the two trays on the long, wooden table with the beakers and jug between them. Once they finished, they left the room after dipping their bodies before the King.

"Ah!" Iduna's loud painful yelp filled the room and the two men looked to her.

"Pardon me." Sten spoke up.

"It's alright." Iduna lied with a painful smile. She felt the throbbing ache up her arm to her elbow.

Sten continued to press his fingers into her skin. King Agnarr made his way back to the chair close to her end of the chaise. His back straight with his fingers clasped in his lap. His eyes, reflecting the flickering flames from the firepit, watched Sten feel around her wrist. He caught her watching him and gave her an encouraged smile before going back to watching the elder physician's fingers. His smile dropping as he did.

Iduna took the time to really look him over. His hair had been fixed from the wet mop of tangles created from their time in the rain. It was dried, shining in the light, and combed over to cover the tips of his ears. She took notice he had changed from the attire he was in earlier. Although he still wore mostly black, his apparel looked more relaxed. He no longer wore a coat. He had a long-sleeved shirt of deep blue under a black velvet vest outlined in a gold silk material. Iduna acknowledged the light-lavender fabric tied around his neck was the same from earlier; it was tucked into the vest around his torso. His trousers were still black and tucked into his boots.

"Ouch!" Iduna turned her head back and jerked her hand free from Sten's grasp to cradle it to her chest. She could feel her skin pulsing beneath her fingers as she tried to sooth the agonizing twinge in her wrist.

Sten looked at her with an expression of remorse. "I apologize, my dear."

"I'm not sure I like that it's hurting her that much. Does that mean it's broken?" King Agnarr spoke up.

Sten reached down to dig through the basket once again. "No. The good news is that I don't feel any broken bones. It's more likely the muscles have been bruised, so it's just a sprain."

Iduna watched the physician pull out a few things from the basket. A cream jar with a piece of twine holding down the lid, a bundle of white cloth wrapped nicely, and then two smaller glass jars that had herbs within them. Sten opened the larger jar to reveal a yellow-orangish paste that smelled similar to sage.

"Arnica will help with the muscle soreness and the bruising. Only use a little at a time and not every day." He smeared a small amount onto the tips of his fingers and reached for her hand again. Iduna allowed him to apply the paste in a thin layer over her wrist. "If used to much it can cause irritation of the skin. Apply it every two to three days and wait for it to dry a bit before rewrapping your wrist." He tied the lid back over the paste and handed it to her. Iduna took it in her free hand.

Sten turned his attention to the King. "As for you, Your Majesty,"

"Me?" King Agnarr spoke with surprise.

"Kai informed me that you're still suffering from night terrors."

Iduna watched King Agnarr dip his head and sigh overdramatically. "I didn't think he would actually tell you about that."

"When I first treated you, Sire, I asked Kai to keep an eye out for recurring symptoms over the next couple weeks. Head injuries are tricky and can be fine one minute to life threating in the blink of an eye. Knowing you all your life, I knew you would keep it to yourself. Just like you kept your broken arm a secret for two days when you were nine; falling off a horse you weren't supposed to be riding."

"I was trying to keep my father from knowing." King Agnarr muttered mostly to himself.

"Here are some dry mint and chamomile. Have Kai brew them into a tea and drink it once a day." Sten handed the King the tiny jars. "It's best to drink it just before you retire. The chamomile will make you very relaxed and tired."

"Yes, I remember from the previous time you've had me drink it." King Agnarr remarked.

"Then you should have no trouble drinking a cup every day until the herbs are gone. You may not have gotten a headache in a few days, but night terrors can put a lot of stress on your brain when resting is the best time for it to heal."

Iduna giggled at the face the King made at the instructions he was given. He mumbled something and Iduna wasn't sure what he had said but it was something about tea and its taste.

"As for you my dear, there isn't much I can do for your wrist besides the arnica and wrapping it. As long as you follow my directions regarding the arnica and reframe from using your wrist harshly it should heal in a few weeks."

Iduna gave him a nod of understanding. "You've done more than enough, thank you, Sten."

His smile was warming. "You're welcome." He pulled some of the cloth from the neat wrap and placed her wrist in the air before him.

"Iduna."

"What a lovely name." He began to wrap the cloth around her wrist after he made sure it was straight. He left a bit of the end dangle as he wrapped the rest. "Eternal youth and rejuvenation."

"Excuse me?" Iduna asked.

"Iduna, it means eternal youth and rejuvenation." Sten answered her question without looking up from his task. She watched as he took the end he left out and began to knot it with the other end.

"Oh, I didn't know that. But I don't think that helps anyone because no one will ever have eternal youth."

Sten finished wrapping her wrist and removed his hands only to tuck a finger under her chin. "Only creatures of myth," his grin wide, "but people do say that some have eternal youth in their souls. Those who see the beauty in the world and all the possibilities it holds."

Sten's statement left Iduna without words and she looked down to her lap. Her fingers played with the ends of the cloth wrapping that kept her wrist stiff in place, but not overly so. In her lateral vision, Iduna saw the King rise from the chair once more. She lifted only her eyes to watch him shake the elderly man's hand and thank him for his time. When the King walked with the castle physician to the door, Iduna lifted her head to watch the firepit dance side to side.

"Well, I'm pleased to hear your wrist isn't broken." King Agnarr spoke as he rounded the back of the chaise. "I do apologize if he crossed any boundaries. Sten is a remarkable man, brilliant, but he has a tendency to be a little…"

"Overbearing?" Iduna guessed.

"I was going to say meticulous, but overbearing is another good word." The King grabbed each tray one by one as he brought them from behind the chaise. He placed them on the rug between the firepit and the cushioned seat she sat upon. He knelt down after he had brought everything over.

He lifted the silver domes to reveal plates of food underneath. He placed a plate near her feet with several cheese squares, a pile of grapes, and a row of crackers. Another plate he placed down had several cut slices of bread. The last plate had a bowl of steaming stew. How much food did he think she could eat? She noticed the only thing King Agnarr placed before him was honeydew, mango, and cantaloupe slices spread about a decorative plate.

"I actually found him rather refreshing." Iduna reached over to place the harden clay jar Sten had given her onto the table behind the chaise, then slipped her body from the cushion to join the King on the large rug. Iduna folded her skirts around her legs that she tucked to one side. "He actually reminded me of the eldest member of my tri—_village_." Iduna tripped over her words. Like a pot of boiling water: her words bubbling over to quickly. She glanced at the King, but he didn't seem to notice. "Joyful, if not a bit crazy." A nervous smile on her lips.

"Speaking of village, Iduna." King Agnarr bit into a large slice of honeydew before he spoke again. "It was Iduna, yes?"

"It is." Her voice quaking a bit.

She watched him dry his fingers before he busied himself with pouring the liquid from the large porcelain jug into the matching beakers. "You aren't from any Arendelle village, are you?" Iduna held her breath from his question. Spoken more like a statement; as if he already knew.

She hesitantly took the beaker he held out to her.

'_He knows! How could I be so stupid?!' _Her fingers tightened their grip on the glass in her hands. The fear of it shattering far off in her mind. _'How could I think he wouldn't remember me? We had spent several minutes together in the forest, of course he's going to remember me!'_

She watched him fill his own beaker then place the jug out of the way on the rug. After he swallowed a few times, and she stopped watching his near Adams apple move, King Agnarr gave her his full attention.

'_I was the one who introduced him to the Wind Spirit! How could anyone forget that?!' _Iduna started to panic. _'He's going to have me killed. The King is going to put me to death because of where I was born, because of my heritage.'_ Her chest began to vibrate from her pounding heart that beat her ribs.

"You don't have to look so nervous, Iduna." He tried to reassure her. "Anyone is welcome in Arendelle, no matter what kingdom they are from. I've just never seen you in any of the villages before, so I'm guessing you are from somewhere outside of Arendelle."

Iduna released the air she held in a nervous laugh. "One can never be too careful I guess, but yes, I'm not from Arendelle." She lifted the beaker to her lips and swallowed a large gulp of the sour tasting liquid that made her turn her lips inward.

"So, where do you come from, Iduna? Are you visiting Arendelle with your family?" The King's questions came one after the other. She had no time to conjure up an answer before the next one came. "Where are your parent's? I'm sure they are worried and looking for you by now. Why weren't they with you in Market Square?"

Iduna lowered the porcelain beaker into her lap and watched the cloudy, bitter liquid ripple from the movement and force of tapping against her thigh. She rubbed the pad of her thumb in a circle against the smooth exterior. A distraction so she wouldn't have to look into his honest and captivating eyes. Iduna noticed every time she fell into his gaze, she lost part of herself and could no longer focus.

"Iduna," King Agnarr's voice took a softer tone, almost a whisper, and it drew her head up to focus on the fire behind him, "have you, did you run away from your home? From your parents?" Iduna pressed her eyelids together; her heart pumping painfully. "Have they…been mistreating you?" Iduna snapped her glassy eyes to him and it seemed to give him the wrong answer. "If they have, I am able to hel—"

"No!" She bellowed before she thought. "No, it's not like that, Your Majesty." She took a softer tone.

"Then please, tell me where your parents are. Explain to me what happened to your clothes and why you were stealing that Kneippbrød." The King's voice took on that same tone he had used on the merchant he saved her from. Not as harsh, but a force was behind it. "Iduna, I truly want to help you, but I can't do that if you won't tell me what is going on."

Iduna bit into her lip and chewed at the dry skin. Her head tilted down again to allow her mind to think clearly. She studied the shadow's that beat in a rhythm across the rug with her eyes, but the gears in her head overworked to come up with answers to his questions. What could she possibly say to him? The truth about everything and just have it done with? Or should she continue to lie in some parts like she had been? Most of his questions could be answered with the whole truth, but some she would need to poke holes in. That couple in the village believed that her home was attacked, so can't she just elaborate on that with the story she had thought of while in the bath? Put that flesh onto her story? That's the best way to go.

'_Isn't it?' _Iduna asked herself. _'You can never tell him, Iduna. No one can know. Not the villagers. Not the castle staff. Not even the King, the boy who you saved, can ever know where you come from. It is a blessing he doesn't seem to recall you from the Enchanted Forest, and that is how it needs to remain if you are going to survive in this strange place.'_

Iduna took a deep breath that filled her lungs, her chest pressed against the corset, and squared her shoulders. Her watery eyes tried to focus on the King, but everything started to blur. "My parents have never mistreated me."

"If your parents are not abusing you, Iduna then, where are they?"

When she blinked, a tear fell free of her eye and stayed buried under her lashes. "My parents are dead, Your Majesty." Iduna release the air from her lungs in a harsh exhale. "My father died when I was a young child and my mother was killed a few weeks ago."

The room went silent. She could hear the cracking firepit behind the King. She could hear the blood thumping in her ears. She could also hear the sharp intake of breath the King took immediately upon her mentioning her dead parents.

"Iduna…" The King looked at her with sympathy in his eyes. "I'm so sor—"

"I don't need your pity, Your Majesty." Iduna interrupted him. The trapped tear finally escaped to leave a long stream down her face. Another slipped from her eye and then another, until she could no longer hold them back.

'_When will be the day I stop crying every time I talk or think about this?!'_ She harshly put her beaker on the rug, a little of the drink fell from the ring and traveled down the side. Iduna frustratedly swiped at her cheeks. King Agnarr held out a small beige linen towards her that made her stop.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." She muttered. She grabbed the soft fabric and used it instead of her fingers.

"Agnarr." She looked at him quizzingly. "You don't have to keep calling me by that title when we're away from the nobles." He clarified. "And I would never pity you, Iduna. Because I know how it can make a person feel in the eyes of others. It's a feeling of weakness that I don't like to repeat."

Iduna gave up trying to clean her face. Once she wiped a fresh set of tears away another would follow after. Her fingers scrunched up the damp fabric and pressed it into the rug under her palm.

"I just, I know the painful numbness of losing one's parents. I had my father's memorial today."

Iduna reached out to place her hand on his arm but stopped herself. Not knowing if it was appropriate to touch him without asking, or if he had to make that first contact before it was okay. She lowered her arm back down.

"I'm sorry about your father, Agnarr." Saying just his name felt strange on her tongue. "What happened that made the gods take him so soon?" Of course, Iduna already knew exactly what happened to his father, but being unknowledgeable seemed the best way to go.

"I should be asking you what happened to _your_ mother." He cleared his throat as a way to change the focus from him. Agnarr wiped his face of the gloomy expression rather quickly. "You said she was killed? By who?"

Iduna looked away from Agnarr as the horrid memories flashed in her mind. She sucked in a gasp of air and shook her head to wield it away. Her arms pushed her body from the floor. Pain burned in her wrist from the pressure, but she ignores it while her feet steady in the bigger shoes.

"Iduna?"

Iduna clutched the ends of her scarf to wrap it tighter around her shoulders. The weight was a comfort, but not the amount she craved so she pulled it even tighter. The grumbles of her stomach returned once she walked away from the plates of food arranged on the floor. She was greatly hungry, but suddenly Iduna lost all the will to eat anything when her mind relived the painful past once again. She didn't remember wanting to go to the window, but she ended up before it. The rain pelted against the glass, desperately trying to reach her, to wrap her up and allow her to drown.

"Yes," Iduna finally answered, "my mother was killed by those we thought held no ill-will against us."

Although her back was turned to Agnarr, she knew he was getting up from the floor by the rustle of fabric and the heavy stomp of his boots. "So, it wasn't just your mother. Your entire village was attacked by people you knew?"

"I didn't know them at all." Iduna spoke carefully. Any wrong misstep could prove she was lying. _'Keep yourself together, Iduna. Hold it back. Don't let the dam break. Stick to the truth as much as you can but know when to twist it. You've already thought of the story, now just say it.'_

"Mother knew them though, almost all the elder people did. They wouldn't pass through the village often, but when they did everyone became cautious. I had never met them until that day. Mother said they were…" She paused. _'__What was the correct word to use__ that King Agnarr would understand?'_

"Thugs? Bandits?" Agnarr tried to guess at what she was going to say. Iduna wasn't a hundred percent certain what those words meant, but she presumed they must be close to what she knew as Rosvot. Rouges that separated from the Northuldra ways and turned against nature and their people.

Iduna nodded her head to his guesses and knew Agnarr saw it. "I don't know what caused it. I wasn't in the village at the time of the attack, I was…I was picking berries for my mother to bake into bread later that day." Iduna found it was much harder to tell the fabricated story of what really happened. Especially to the boy who was probably the only one who would be able to understand how she felt about what really happened in that forest. "When I returned some time later, I found people dead. And others being killed."

'_Don't go into too much detail, Iduna. He might connect dots and cross similarities.'_

She bundled the wool fabric of her scarf between her fingers. "I saw things I should never have seen as I snuck into the village in search of my mother." The death of her childhood friend and her betrothed crept into her mind. The heroic and horrific death that took him away. "I was able to find my mother. How I went unseen I'll never know, but when I found my mother, I knew it was too late. She was gone in the middle of the floor of our home."

"Iduna," Agnarr's voice came just behind her. When had he gotten so close to her? He must have walked across the room while she was talking and staring out into the storm beyond the window.

She took a breath. Her tears falling faster and her words no longer clear. Was she cold again? Her body started to shake. "I ran for as long as I could, but at some point, I just couldn't anymore. The next thing I remember is finding myself in the woods."

"Iduna," Agnarr's voice was even closer to her. What was that tone he used? Why did his voice break?

"I discarded most of my clothing because it was covered in her blood. That's why you found me that way." She started to sob. _'And the blood of others.'_

"Why come to Arendelle? Why didn't you go to the next village?" Agnarr asked in a soft, whisper like voice. "To your King?"

'_Because my tribe leader gave his life fighting for his people.'_ Her arms crossed over her torso. Her fingers dug into the upper part of her arms.

"Unless, you came here because you have family in Arendelle?"

Iduna shook her head.

'_No! I'm all alone.'_

Her damp braid settled over her left shoulder when her head stopped. She hunched her shoulders to her ears, a cry broke past her throat, and she started to howl while her arms hugged herself tighter; desperate for the comfort she craved. Something no one should do in front of someone like King Agnarr, but her grief didn't care. It broke past her walls once again. Iduna felt warmth veiled around her body unexpectedly. She opened her eyes to find something she never could prepare for. King Agnarr, a whole head taller than she, had her body wrapped in his arms.

Iduna felt the wave of ambiguity, but her tears did not stop, nor did her exclamations. Agnarr had drawn her body into his torso seconds after she started to breakdown. Her arms were still crossed over her chest and pressed between their bodies. His one hand on her upper back held her steady while her sobs made her wobble. She felt his warm palm slowly rubbed an inch up and down to offer her comfort. Agnarr's other hand cradled the back of her head. Iduna's cheek was buried in his velvet vest, and his chin tucked her head into his neck.

Iduna untangled an arm from her self hug to cover her mouth with her palm. Her overflown river of tears worked to fall over the back of her hand instead of her chin. "I don't—"

"Shh." He interrupted her. "Everyone grieves the loss of loved one's differently, Iduna. You don't need to feel shame of what you need to get through it." Iduna felt her shoulders release at his words. "You've been through something, and it's clear to me this is what you need." His grip tightened on her body; drawing her closer. "As someone told me, the loss will never be easy, but the effects will lessen over time." She felt his cheeks press into her hair. "Just allow yourself this time to let it go."

Iduna no longer held back her grief. Her arms completely unfolded and wrapped around his waist. Her palms pressed against his shoulder blades and her fixed nails pulled at the smooth fabric of his vest. Her legs wobbled from the overwhelming anguish. Agnarr moved his hand to get a better grip around her to keep her legs from collapsing under her. Iduna felt her chest constrict, her breaths came in short gasps, and her cries grew quieter. The corset Gerda laced her in was constricting her painful cries and pressing into her lungs when she tried to take deeper breaths. Her head started to feel light.

"I didn't mean to." Iduna gasped out. Her arms withdrew from his back to move to his chest where she fisted her fingers.

"Mean what?" His voice was soft but shaky. Like he was holding something back in his throat.

"I didn't mean to steal that bread, Your Majesty. I was going to, I had every intention, I just didn't know, I didn't mean to cause any trouble." Iduna words couldn't form properly no matter how hard she tried. Her lungs started to burn. The corset felt like it was growing tighter. Her head started to feel like it was floating. Her cries started to die from howls to quick breaths.

"You don't need to say anymore, Iduna. I now know why you did what you did." Agnarr slowly lifted his head from the top of her hair. "You have lost something that can't be brought back. You have suffered through something not many can claim. And you have been left alone in the world too soon. You were just trying to survive in any way you could, and you will not be punished for that."

Iduna forced herself to take a slow, deep breath. Her action calmed her gasping cries to sniffles. Her fogging head started to clear. The burning in her lungs slowly started to lessen. Iduna's body suddenly felt lighter and her muscles released from its tension, but she remained hugging the King's chest; unable to move herself away. Until her stomach interrupted.

Iduna's cheeks heated at the sound of Agnarr's chuckle.

"Alright," his arms released her from his chest, "you need to eat something."

Iduna took a step back from his warming arms and wiped her flushing face with the sleeve of her blouse. Agnarr straightened his vest and wiped under his eye with his fingers. _'Had he started crying?'_

"The chicken stew should still be hot." Agnarr informed her as they both made their way back to the placement of food. Her tears still fell down her cheeks, but there was a large gap between each one. "Why don't you eat while I go speak with Kai to make arrangements."

Iduna's eyes went wider. "Arrangements? Arrangements for what?"

Agnarr gave her a soft smile. "I'm going to send word to Rada in the village. She runs the orphanage on the border of the Easternwoods." Agnarr placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm letting her know to prepare a space for you. It would be pointless for me to offer you warmer clothes and food only to send you out with nowhere to go. As I said, I want to help you, Iduna, and that is a promise I'm planning to see through."

His hand disappeared from her shoulder and he started for the doors of the library. Iduna twisted her fingers around the fringe of her scarf while she watched him go. He twisted the curvy knob down then pulled it open. Agnarr walked through the opened door without looking back at her and shut it behind him quietly. Iduna found herself alone in the large, silent room.

* * *

**W**ith her scarf tucked around her shoulders to keep the chill at bay, Iduna sat against the seat as close to the window as she could; the furthest she could get from the King who sat at the opposite end. Iduna moved her head in slow actions to allow her eyes to take in the small space she was in. King Agnarr had called it a carriage, but Iduna found it was rather similar to a wagon. Except it was completely covered from floor to ceiling and much nicer to ride along in.

The carriage actually had two doors; one on each side of the solid wood, curved box. There were cutouts for the windows on either side of the doors and glass placed in the space to keep the weather out and provide privacy for conversations. The inside of the carriage didn't provide much room for large movements, but it had enough leg room for at least four to five people. There were two benches in the carriage, one built into the front end and one at the back end. Iduna sat on the one were her back faced the driver. King Agnarr was sat on the opposite bench. Iduna ran her fingers against the purple and gold stitched cushions of the seats and her toes brushed over the plum rug over the wood floor.

'_This must be nice to ride in on long trips across Arendelle. Having something to sleep in when he gets tired from riding his horse.'_

Iduna reached up to push the plum drapery lined in gold aside from the window to get a look outside at the village that passed by. The rain was no longer hammering down, but it was still heavy enough that you would be soaked within a few minutes of being out in it. It always amazed Iduna how weather could change with time. The last hour had shifted the weather to just rain, the thunder and lightning disappeared. But the rain was not the only thing to change.

Iduna kept her head towards the window she peeked out, but her eyes shifted to look at the young King. Agnarr sat with his torso straight and away from the backrest of the bench. He held two paper's, one in each hand, and his brows were slightly crunched together while he looked them over. Iduna noticed the messy pile in his lap and the paperless book, opened, in the seat next to him. His lips were moving to speak silent words. Was he reading it quietly out loud to himself? Finding it was rude to stare at him, Iduna turned her eyes back to the streaks of rain drifting down the glass.

Agnarr hadn't left her alone for long in the library when he departed to talk with Kai. Within that time, Iduna was able to finish the hot, delicious, chicken stew, a slice of the bread, and a handful of green grapes. Her stomach was still full of the meal. When he had returned, Agnarr informed her that Vilem, someone she hadn't met, was on his way to deliver his message to Rada. Then within the hour before they left the castle, Vilem had returned, Agnarr was pulled away to attend to something important, Iduna stayed with Gerda in the kitchens, helping in the best way she could without causing problems, and the carriage was prepared. Iduna was on her way to the orphanage with Agnarr as her escort.

"Rada is a very sweet woman, Iduna." Agnarr's voice filled the silent space. Iduna released the drape and turned to him. His eyes didn't lift from the papers he held. "She is a very nurturing woman who does everything she can to provide for the children in her house, so I know I can trust your wellbeing to be well looked after. She has supervised many children who have lost their parents over the years, and she will do the same for you."

"If she already has, how many did you say? Twelve?"

"Fourteen." He still didn't look up.

"If she is already caring for fourteen children, won't I just be adding too much to her plate? I don't want to burden her load with another mouth to take care of." Iduna felt the guilt grow in her heart.

"It's actually the opposite, Iduna." Agnarr finally lifted his face to look at her. "Rada is looking forward to your arrival."

Iduna tilted her head in puzzlement. "She is?"

"Mhmm." Agnarr placed the two papers in the book next to him. "She's looking forward to having another set of hands to help around the orphanage. You will be her eldest child, the next being seven."

'_So, no one is close to my own age.'_ Iduna slumped in her seat.

"I don't mind helping her as payment for being able to stay there." Iduna played with the fringe of her scarf.

"Iduna, you don't have to pay her for taking you in. Technically you are still a child who needs an adult to look after you, so this is the best place for you to stay until you can provide for yourself. This is Rada's job as a House Mother." Agnarr clarified before he picked up another paper from his lap.

"I didn't mean for it to come out that way. What I meant to say was, I would be happy to help as a show of returned kindness for her taking me in without much notice." Iduna explained.

Agnarr lifted a soft smile before he went to read over the paper held in his hand. Iduna took notice he was occupied again and went back to pulling at her scarf; waiting for the ride to come to an end.

They had been traveling for over fifteen minutes now, but Iduna had been informed it would take longer by carriage because they had to go through the farm land, up the mountainside, to the right over the stone bridge, and through the valley to get to the other half of the village and the Easternwoods border where the orphanage was. Most people traveled by boat across the fjord to get to the lesser populated area of the village, but with the rain Agnarr didn't want her to get pale again after she had just gotten warm.

Iduna rested her head against the wall of the carriage and watched the drapery bounce against the windows with every shift of the carriage. Iduna secretly wished the ride to take its time to reach the orphanage. She wasn't prepared to part ways with Agnarr, a boy she felt comfortable with and knew, to be left with a woman she knew nothing about. No matter the reassurance she got from the King, the nerves of being put in the care of a stranger frightened her. How was she sure this woman wouldn't starve her? What if she threw her out the second the King was out of sight? What if she abused the kids in her care and would do the same to her?

Her heart started to beat faster and the carriage came to a halt after she heard the driver call for the horses to stop. Agnarr looked up from the paper and Iduna pushed the drape away to look out the window.

She saw a wooden structure painted an olive green and beige, two stories high and much wider than the other homes she had seen in the village. There was a fence from one end of the building to the next. A lush garden on the left side filled the space between the building and the front of the fence. The other side was nothing but grass.

The door on Iduna's side was swung open by the driver and the King held his hand out to help her from the carriage. When had he gotten out without her seeing? Iduna gathered a handful of her skirts to keep herself from tripping as she stepped out and from getting drenched by the ground. She gripped his warm hand and lowered herself from the carriage to stand under the umbrella Agnarr held above his head.

Iduna quickly took back her hand and tucked loose strands of hair behind her ear. "Thank you."

Agnarr nodded. "Come, let's get you inside and acquainted with Rada before I return. Lord Peterssen needs me back at the castle as soon as possible to review paperwork." He rolled his eyes playfully with a smile.

Iduna smiled back but she couldn't give him a full one. She turned her head to look at the front of the orphanage she would soon call home.

"Nervous?"

"Is that normal? To feel nervous and scared?" Iduna watched as the front door opened to revile a woman probably in her late twenties and dressed in green. Iduna also saw a young boy poke his head out and a young girl with a purple bonnet on the woman's hip.

"Of starting over or meeting someone new?" Agnarr asked.

"Both, I guess." Iduna muttered as she looked back to him.

"Truthfully," Agnarr switched the hand he held the umbrella in and offered his arm to keep her steady in the mud, "I think it is okay, because I am also nervous and scared about my new responsibilities as King."

Iduna took his arm with her hand, still holding her skirts up, and they both walked closer to the front door.

"But we are never given more than we can handle. Things happen in our lives that give us strength to keep going. So, feeling scared _is_ normal, Iduna, but don't ever let your fear stop you from living the life you desire."

Iduna watched the ripples extend in the puddles as they walked towards the opened door. "I don't even know what life I want to live, Your Majesty."

Agnarr stopped them halfway to the door and looked down at her. "I know it seems hopeless right now, but in the middle of every difficulty, Iduna lie many opportunities. You just have to have the courage to step out of your comfort zone. Everything you need to accomplish your dreams is already in you."

Iduna watched his eyes brighten at his own words and Iduna suspected she wasn't the only one who needed to hear them, but that didn't take away the fact Agnarr was right. His words sunk into her heart as she remembered her mother told her something similar. That no matter where life took her, to never forget who she was and remember her people's traditions. She was born of the sun. She was a free spirit who feared very little in life. The fear she was feeling inside was not who she was. Iduna may have fallen onto this unknown road, but she alone carved the path to follow.

"Hello, Your Majesty." The woman, Rada, curtsied the best she could with the toddler on her hip.

"Good afternoon, Rada, a pleasure once again." Agnarr replied back with a warming smile.

"Agnarr!" Iduna watched the young girl, no more than four years old, wave her arms in front of her small body. Rada had to quickly put the girl to her feet before she dropped her from the wiggling. Despite the rain, the girl ran up to them both. Her smile bright as she looked up at him.

"It's King Agnarr, Maarit." Rada called. "I'm sorry, Your Grace, she still hasn't grasped that concept."

Agnarr waved his hand. "It's quite alright, Rada." Agnarr handed Iduna the umbrella to hold as Maarit pulled against his trousers. She watched him lower himself to her level. "Hi again, Maarit."

"I have something I want to give you." Maarit proudly bounced where she stood.

"What is it?"

Maarit went to dig in the pocket of her pale blue skirts in search of whatever she wanted to give him. Agnarr turned his head upwards to give Iduna a shrug as he waited. Iduna chuckled to herself as she stepped a bit closer to cover them better with the umbrella. The tap of the rain against the material sounded close to a crackling fire.

"Here it is." Iduna saw the young girl held a white flower, slightly crushed from being in her pocket. Iduna watched Agnarr's face fall from its smile as he looked at it. "I thought you might like to have a flower like your father."

Maarit grabbed his hand to place the white flower in his palm. She tucked her arms behind her back when she was done. "Thank you, Maarit. I do like it. I shall keep it forever."

Iduna giggled at the large smile on her tiny face. Her cheeks rosy and her eyes round. Her attention turned to Iduna when she laughed. With a free hand, Iduna gave the girl a wave as her curious eyes looked up at her.

"Maarit, come out of the rain, dear and allow our guests the chance to make it to the door." Rada called out to her.

Iduna looked up to the woman who gave them a welcoming smile. The little girl raced back across the path and through the door. Agnarr lifted himself up from his crutch, grabbed the umbrella from Iduna, and they continued up to the door. Rada pulled it open wider for them both to enter. Iduna stepped in first with Agnarr right behind her. Iduna finally released her hold on her skirts to allow them to sway over her legs.

Iduna found herself in a large square room. The firepit blazing warmth to her left with candles burning on the carved mantel. Plush chaises and chairs placed about the room to offer places to sit, but Iduna noticed that the few children in the room used the floor to play with their toys. A large rug covered most of the planked floor which seemed to offer a bit of comfort for them. There was a low standing table in the middle of the space with a vase of cut sunflowers and messily stacked books. Smaller square tables placed at the ends of the seats with burning candles. Directly across from the firepit was a staircase leading to the second story. Doors on either side, but she couldn't see where they lead to.

"You must be, Iduna." Rada pulled her attention from observing the space.

"Yes." Agnarr spoke before Iduna could open her mouth. "Iduna this is Rada. The House Mother of the orphanage. The one who will take over the responsibility of your wellbeing."

Rada took Iduna's hands within her own. "I wish it was under different circumstances, but it's nice to meet you, Iduna."

Iduna gave her a smile. "It's wonderful to meet you to, Rada."

"I know it's going to take some time, but I hope you will feel at home here." Rada released Iduna's hands after giving them a gentle squeeze.

"I'm sure I will." Iduna muttered with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Agnarr spoke up, "and to leave so suddenly, but I do have to get back to the castle. Royal duties are waiting for me."

Iduna felt her heart drop. _'He's leaving already?!'_

"Of course, Your Grace. I can take over things from here. I promise she will be just fine." Rada reassured him. Agnarr gave her a grateful nod and then turned to Iduna.

Iduna opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Her eyes just looked over his face.

"I hope you find happiness here in Arendelle, Iduna. Even after all you have experienced." He spoke when she didn't.

"And I, um, I'm sure I will, Agn—_Your Majesty_." Iduna gave a small dip. "And I hope you find it too."

Agnarr reopened the umbrella once he stood under the doorway. He waved goodbye to everyone and headed back out into the rain. Iduna swore she saw him give her a prolonged look before he turned from the threshold.

'_You can't just leave it like that, Iduna!'_ She chided herself. Her feet carried her to the open door and found Agnarr walking back towards the carriage. She gathered her skirts and raced into the rain. "Your Grace?"

Agnarr stopped in a puddle of muddy water to turn to her. "Iduna?" Her feet only stopped when she flung her body into his and her arms wrapped around his neck. Agnarr grunted from the contact. His hands gripped her arms to steady them from her forceful blow. "Iduna?"

She lifted her chin to rest on his shoulder. "Thank you, Agnarr. For everything you've done for me. I owe you so much more than I can ever repay." She spoke softly so only he could hear her. She squeezed her arms a bit.

It wasn't long after that she felt his arm wrap around her shoulder blades to hug her back. Iduna buried her cheek into the silky fabric of his vest. "You don't owe me anything, Iduna, just like you don't owe Rada, but you are very welcome."

Iduna released her hold around his neck and stepped back far enough the umbrella no longer shielded her from the rain. "Still, one day, maybe I can do something to help you."

Agnarr straightened out his vest. "Well, then, I look forward to that day, Iduna. Perhaps I will see you in the village someday soon."

"Perhaps you will."

"I wish I could stay longer, but I really must get back to the castle before Lord Peterssen sends the guards out for me. I hope you settle in nicely here. Good-bye for now, Iduna."

Iduna watched the young King jog the rest of the way to the carriage. He snaps the umbrella closed and climbs in before the door shuts. The rainwater soaked into the fabric on her shoulders and the top of her hair the longer she stood there. Iduna watched the carriage be pulled away back in the direction they had come; back to the castle.

"Good-bye for now, Agnarr." Iduna softly waved after the shrinking carriage. Only stopping once she was ready to head inside the orphanage she'll call home after the carriage and King were no longer in sight.


	8. Chapter Seven

_Here we have another chapter! I hope you guys enjoy it. I hope you all don't mind these last few have been a little long, didn't __originally intend that. I don't know if you guys prefer longer or shorter chapters._

* * *

Chapter Seven  
_The Willow Tree Wish_

_Iduna  
__Spring, May 1814_

**I**duna's body slowly started to wake from the deep slumber with a moanful stretch. Her eyes remained closed as she turned to her left side and pulled the wool blanket over her head to block out the rising sun that started to shine through the window. She had forgotten to close the curtains before she went to bed; again. Her body curled in the sheets, her head rubbed deeper into the pillow, and her fingers flexed into the blanket. She let her body relax as she willed herself to get a few more moments of sleep before she would have to get up.

Just as her body relaxed enough to allow her mind to drift off, she heard the dreadful crowing of the rooster Rada kept in the back blaring through the morning air. Iduna snapped her eyes open with an annoyed glare. She moved her hands to press against her ears in hopes of it blocking out the loud sound. She heard the crowing again, some how much gaudier than the first time. Iduna knew she needed to get up. No doubt Rada was already up and waiting for her.

It has been the same routine every morning for the past week since she had been brought to the orphanage. She would wake when the rooster sang, dress, fix her hair, and then meet Rada downstairs to help with tasks before the younger children stirred. Most mornings it was helping prepare breakfast. Although, Rada never gave Iduna to hard of a task because of her wrist and made sure to tell Iduna to slow down if she was doing too much, but sometimes Iduna wouldn't listen.

The ghastly rooster crowed again, and Iduna threw the blanket off her head before she pushed herself up. She brushed away the small flow of drool from the corner of her mouth. Her palms dug into her eyes to push the sleep out. She saw the sun hadn't broken past the horizon yet as her arms stretched above her head. She swung her legs from beneath the sheets and untwisted her matching bloomers from under her lavender nightgown, then allowed the embroidered fabric to settle just above her ankles. Her bare feet quietly padded across the room to grab her brush off the desk. Iduna ran it through her tangled curls as she walked about the space of her room.

Rada had spent the entire first afternoon with Iduna. Helping to move the room around to the way she preferred; of course, the room was plain, and Rada told Iduna she could make it her own.

The armoire was placed against the wall and faced the foot of the single bed. Her mud stained, burgundy scarf hung next to the apron from one of the several brass hooks on the inside of the left door she kept open. The rosemaling Iduna had spent an entire afternoon painting on the large wooden furniture matched the ones she also painted on the desk, the bed, the dressing screen, and along the border of the mirror. Iduna curled her legs onto the small window seat while her memories of her first week clouded her mind. She grunted when the brush caught into a large knot.

Iduna's first dinner with Rada and the other children was a bit chatty. The children asked her more questions than they gave her time to answer them. So, Iduna had spent most of the dinner just smiling at their excitement of having a new person in the orphanage. When dinner was over with, and all the younglings ran off to play before bath time, Iduna stayed with Rada to help clean off the pile of dishes. Rada took her turn to get to know Iduna while she dried the dishes Rada washed. She had cried for the second time that afternoon. Rada had a comfort in her hugs that reminded her of her mother; Iduna only cried harder and couldn't keep to her feet any longer.

Iduna, once she had calmed down, helped Rada bathe and dress the children for bed. Iduna learned Rada had a house tradition of reading the children a nightly story. Iduna had wondered if she could tell the children some of the stories her mother shared with her. Most of the children had fallen asleep before the story was even finished. When all the younger children were put to bed in their assigned rooms, and Iduna was changed into her nightdress, Rada made them both a hot drink of chocolate while they talked for a bit longer.

It was Iduna's second day that Rada came back from the village with a gift for her, along with the food she had purchased. She had gotten Iduna a paint set the day after she shared that passion with her. Rada explained she could use it to start making her room her own with personal rosemaling. Iduna was excited to feel the freedom of painting, but only after she asked what rosemaling was. It turned out that it was all the swirling design Iduna had seen all over the Kingdom of Arendelle. She spent her second afternoon painting her furniture.

Iduna's beige room wasn't large, but she found it comfortable. It was her private space that she treasured.

Once she had freed her hair of it knots, no doubt new ones were starting to form from the thickness, Iduna walked to place the brush back on the desk were her paints found home. Her arms pulled her half-sleeved nightdress over her head, her bloomers down her legs, and tossed them up to drape over the dressing screen next to the mirror. Iduna yanked the chemise down and slipped it over her head before she plopped into the chair used at her desk, and grabbed her stockings draped over the chair. The cornflower blue of the wool matched the new dress Rada had gotten her.

'_One dress is not enough for a young lady. Most people have two to three options of clothing; unless you were royal that is.'_ So, Rada had taken her out to select two more options.

Iduna pulled them up her legs and tied them in place. She slipped her feet into the black shoes before she practically slid across the floor to the armoire. She reached inside for the cornflower blue bloomers and pulled them up to tie around her hips; she yanked until the elastic hugged just below her knees. She pulled the laces of the corset to hug her chemise to her torso before she tied them in a bow. She slipped the petticoat to her waist and fastened the thin ties. Iduna pulled the matching blouse to her stocking over her head. She slipped the buttons on the cuffs, that reached just past her elbows, through the slits and did the same to the one for the collar. She unfolded the darker wool skirt embroidered with green and lighter blue along the bottom. Once the darker blue skirt was over her head and buttoned at her waist, Iduna smoothed it out to fall over the petticoat. She grabbed the vest with matching embroidery. She fastened the buttons of the black top along her side before she went to close up the armoire.

When she was finally dressed, in record time for her, Iduna began to run her fingers in her hair to start braiding. She decided on two braids that would meet in the middle and be wrapped with a leather tie and a blue ribbon. Her fingers worked through her hair as she watched the sun start to peek from behind the horizon line. She was actually going to be earlier than usual. Iduna tied a blue ribbon around the knot that kept her braids together and ran her fingers through the half of her hair she left down.

Without even a glance in the mirror, Iduna grabbed the apron as she headed from the room and down the stairs to reach the kitchens where she knew Rada would be fixing up breakfast. Her fingers were busy tying the apron into a bow when she passed the threshold to the rather spacious kitchen. Sure enough, Iduna found Rada pushing her flour covered fingers into a pile of dough; preparing bread to bake for tomorrow. The oven blazed with burning coals that also provided heat to the room. Iduna saw the two pans of baking bread nearly ready to come out.

"Good morning, Rada." Iduna brushed out the apron so it settled against her skirts.

Rada glanced up from her task. "Iduna, good morning," Rada's gentle smile graced her lips, "you're down earlier than normal." Her hand swiped across her cheek to move her fallen strands out of her way. Some of the flour dusted along her cheekbone.

"I guess I've just gotten faster at getting ready." Iduna shrugged her shoulders.

Rada raised her brow knowingly at Iduna before she went back to kneading the bread dough on the large wooden table covered with woven baskets of food. "Or you didn't spend your night reading."

Iduna bit into her lip. "I, um, I ran out of books to read."

"Ah," Rada pushed the heel of her palms into the dough, "finally cleared out my collection, have you?" Rada slapped her hands together to remove the flour from her skin. The flour fell through the air like snow from the sky. She wiped the rest on her dirty apron before grabbing a bowl and some olive oil.

Iduna gave her a one-sided smile and a sheepish shrug.

"I know, my collection doesn't compare to most. I knew you would finish it fast." Iduna watched her pour some of the oil into the large wooden bowl and used her fingers to spread it around. She lifted the smooth and elastic dough from the table and turned it a few times into the oiled bowl.

"I enjoyed your collection very much, Rada." Iduna walked up to the tall table that came just to her waist. Her hands pressing into the floured surface.

"But your crave for adventure is not yet satisfied is it, Iduna." Rada peeked up at her while she covered the top of the large bowl with a piece of linen. She placed it to the side and out of the way to allow it to rise. Again, Iduna bit into her lip. Rada cleaned off the oil from her hands with her apron. "Tell you what, since tomorrow is your free day to spend how you wish, why don't you head into Market Square to get a few books of your choice."

Iduna's eyes lit up. "Really?! But I don't want to short you from things you need to buy."

"The book keep is my older brother, just tell him I sent you, and he'll allow you to borrow the books." Rada explained.

Iduna's lungs filled with a joyful intake of air. She felt a jolt rush through her body at the thought of reading more books. What would her next read be about, she wondered.

"Now," Rada placed a small basket before her on the table, "would you mind going to collect this morning's eggs while I finish up in here?"

Iduna grabbed the basket by the handle. "Of course, how many do you need?"

"Oh, only six or so? Not all the children eat the eggs." Rada started to busy herself with getting the bread pans out of the stone oven built into the wall. "I want to have most of breakfast ready before the children wake."

Iduna headed for the kitchen door that would lead her to the back of the house, where the hen coop was kept, and also where the dreadful rooster roamed. "Alright. I'll be back in a few moments." Iduna pushed the wooden door open and stepped out into the brightening world.

There was a gentle breeze that awoke the grass in a rolling surface wave on either side of the dirt path. The hairs around her ears tickled against her skin when the wind blew over her. Her apron flapped about her skirts the way a flag would around a pole as she walked along the dirt. Her shoes kicked up small clouds of dust that clung to the hem of her dress.

She passed by the fenced pin where the two goats happily plucked the hay from the blocks stacked in the corner near the water trough. She quickly glanced at the long wooden trough to check the water level as she passed. She scratched behind the male's ear as she reached the end of the pin. He gave a wavered cry when she walked further away, and her fingers dropped from his coat. She giggled when he slipped his head through the gap in the fence and bleated again.

Iduna followed the path past the mud pin of slumbering pigs, around the vegetable garden, and to the hen coop just passed the Arendelle Red cow; who roamed the large pin munching on grass. Iduna placed the basket on the ground and knelt in the damp grass before the door of the coop. She found most of the hens resting in the piles of hay they had arranged into nests on the three different shelf levels.

"Good morning everyone." Iduna calmly spoke. "Let's see how today's rations turned out, shall we?" Iduna reached inside their home to gently grasp an egg from under each hen. Being slow and careful not to rattle them into a panic. Before she placed them in the basket, Iduna allowed the light to shine through the shell of the egg to make sure it wasn't fertilized. "Nicely done ladies." Iduna closed the door to the coop and grabbed the basket on her way back to the house.

Rada was busy slicing the steaming loafs of bread when she walked back inside the kitchens. Iduna, humming to herself to fill the silence, brought the basket to the table next to Rada. She began to move the brown eggs into a bowl for Rada to use in a moment and Iduna put the basket out of the way.

"Iduna, would you mind finishing this for me? I'll start making the eggs while you do." Rada finished cutting the slice she was doing and then put the knife down on the cutting board.

"Sure." Iduna walked up to take her place.

Rada slapped her hands together to clear it of breadcrumbs. "I only need about three more slices. The bread knife is sharp, so please watch your fingers."

"Of course, I'll be careful."

Rada squeezed her shoulder when she reached around to grab the bowl of eggs she had collected. "Then once you've finished with that can you—"

"Add the jams?" Iduna finished with a raise of her brow.

Rada closed her mouth with a warming smile. "Should have known you would already know what to do." Her fingers squeezed Iduna's shoulder again. Iduna watched her walk to the stove top behind her and place the cast iron pan above the flame.

"I _have_ been helping with breakfast for a week now. I would be worried if I didn't know what to expect."

"How true you are." Rada began to prepare the eggs to cook.

Iduna grabbed the knife from the cutting board and began to finish slicing the last loaf into three pieces. Once she finished, Iduna recovered the bread and took it around the table to the cupboard to store for later use. She bent down to look inside the cabinet for the jar of jams she knew Rada stored there. She pushed things aside to allow the light to show her what she was looking at. Iduna found the jams pushed near the back, so she reached her arm in to bring them to the front. Iduna looked over the jars of strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, and marionberry flavored jams.

"Is there any preference to the flavor you want?" Iduna called while she was still buried inside the cupboard.

"The children mostly like the blueberry, but you can just pick two of them. They'll still eat it no matter what." Rada called from across the room.

Iduna chuckled and grabbed the first two jars her hands touched. Without knocking anything over she made her way back to the table. Iduna found a spare butter knife to use and began to spread the two jams across the bread slices. Just when Iduna finished, Rada came over with a bowl of hot eggs.

"There. Breakfast is done," both Iduna and Rada look up at the ceiling when they heard banging from the floor above, "and the children are starting to wake."

"I'll get the table set while you get them prepared for the day." Iduna reached for the large plate of jammed bread, ready to take it to the dining table opposite of the kitchens.

"You are a gem." Rada walked around the table to brush her hand through Iduna's loose curls that fell down her back. "Thank you for all you have done this week to help me."

Iduna looked up at the woman, who had been nothing but patient and kind since the afternoon she got there, with a small smile and lifted brows. "I just wish there were more I could do to repay you for all you have done."

Rada pulled a large section of her hair over her shoulder. She stroked Iduna's cheek with her thumb before she pulled Iduna into her chest. Her hand brushed over the back of her hair as she gave a gentle squeeze. Iduna wasn't all prepared for Rada to embrace her and wasn't fast enough to hug her back before Rada released her body. "You don't have to repay me for anything, Iduna. This is what I do. I make sure those who lost their family have someone to look after them."

"Hey! That's mine!" A young girl cries from the floor above.

"No, it's not!" Another girl yelled back. "It's mine."

"Give it back!"

Rada heaved a dreadful sigh. "No matter how trying it can be at times, I will still care and love these children as my own." Rada brushed the back of her fingers down Iduna's cheek before she placed a single peck to the top of her head. "And that includes you, Iduna, without the need to recompense me."

"Rada!" A shriekful cry echoed through the house.

Iduna watched Rada push her fingers into her forehead with a deep breath. "You go take care of that, and I'll take care of making sure breakfast gets to the table."

"Everything is on the prep table. All you have to get is the cheese from the storage room." Rada left Iduna to go resolve whatever was making the children scream.

Iduna listened to the sound of Rada's footsteps up the wooden stairs fade away before she busied herself with finishing breakfast. She tossed the section of hair, that had been draped over her shoulder, back behind her shoulder blade to fall nearly to her waist. She reached across the table to grab the bowl of steaming eggs and the plate of assorted fruit; cut bananas, sliced oranges, and strawberries. Iduna doubted most of the children would eat the fruit, maybe the younger children, but the older ones will do their best to avoid them.

Her feet traveled through the archways, that were carved into the walls of the staircase, that opened to the hall where Rada's bedroom was to the left, and the dining area across from the kitchens. Like every morning, the long table was already set with the empty plates and polished forks before each chair. Iduna placed the serving dishware near the head of the table. Her eyes glanced up to the ceiling from the muffed voices and the tapping footsteps. She gave a breathy laugh with a shake of her head from the amount of energy the children seemed to wake up with.

'_Wonder what happened to the energy you used to wake up with that allowed you to race through the forest every morning before the sun even had a chance to rise.'_ Iduna lowered her head to glance out the long window that invited the natural sunlight to brighten the space. _'The feeling of the breeze in your hair. The earth under your feet as you ran. The wonderful feeling of home around you.'_

Iduna turned her feet back to the kitchens after a downhearted sigh from the memory of her home. She traveled back to the table to grab the large plate of jammed bread and the cuts of cooked pork that smelled of delicious herbs. The smell invaded her nose and made her mouth water then her stomach grumbled as she carried them to the table to join the other plates. Before Iduna made her way into the storage room to fetch the cheese, she grabbed the stack of cups from the cupboard in the corner. She walked around the length of the table to place an empty cup by each plate that matched. She heard more stomping from upstairs, but they were descending the stairs much like a stampede. Iduna finished placing the cups around the table as a few of the children started to play in the parlor.

'_Maybe…one day, you will find your way home again. Find the girl that you are.'_

Large eyes of the palest green brightened the face of the four-year-old who stood in the doorway of the dining room. Her blond hair pulled into a ponytail with braids and a yellow ribbon that matched her skirts. Maarit gave Iduna a smile just as her white stocking feet raced into the room until she buried her rosy cheeks into her own skirts. Iduna chuckled at the little girl who seemed to attach herself to Iduna every chance she was given.

"Good morning, Iduna" Maarit spoke, still struggling to say her name correctly. Pronouncing the 'I' in her name wrong.

"Morning, Maarit. Did you sleep good?" Iduna bent over and pressed her hands into the brown top of her dress.

"I did!" Maarit untangled herself from Iduna's blue skirts and hugged her stuffed bunny to her chest; a bunny that was in need of a wash. "Had a dream about flowers and a talking sun."

Iduna, now free of the child's arms, made her way back to the cupboard and grabbed the pitcher filled with lemon and mint water to put it at the head of the table; where she knew Rada would sit. Maarit followed her around with curious eyes like she had been doing since Iduna's second day. Iduna was careful to know where she was as to not knock into her. She grabbed one of the long wooden sticks from the pale by the burning firepit behind the head of the table. She allowed the fire to catch on the end and then carefully used it to light the candles placed near each end of the table. She blew it out and went to toss it into the crackling fire, but Maarit suddenly appeared behind Iduna with her tiny fingers grabbing a fistful of her skirts. Iduna had to quickly reach out to keep herself from trampling over the small child.

"Whoa! Maarit!" Iduna dropped the fire stick to the stone beneath her feet. "You can't be under my feet when I'm walking."

Maarit didn't seemed to hear what Iduna said because she simply looked up at Iduna and held her arms out. Her bunny dangled by one of its ears. Maarit's little fingers flexed as she reached up as far as she could. "Up, up."

"I can't right now." Iduna rubbed Maarit's cheek with the pad of her thumb. She picked up the stick she dropped and rounded the small child. "I have to finish getting breakfast ready."

"Please, I want up." Maarit turned her upper body and continued to flex her fingers towards Iduna.

Iduna tossed the charred stick into the firepit then turned back to the little girl dressed in yellow and brown. Iduna let her head fall back with a sigh from the large eyes that looked up at her. "Alright, come here." Iduna readied her arms to catch the child who ran up to her with a smile much too big for her little face.

Iduna grabbed Maarit under her arms and swung her up. Iduna felt a twitch in her left wrist and quickly settled the child on her right hip. She cupped her arm under her legs and gripped around her little thigh to help support Maarit; bunching up the yellow cotton of her mid-sin skirts. Once she was comfortable in Iduna's arms, her head fell into her shoulder and her thumb popped into her mouth; her bunny still dangled by its ear. Iduna quickly pulled Maarit's skirts down to drape over her white stockings before she headed for the storage room in the kitchens. Like every time Iduna had carried Maarit around, the little girl went quiet. Thumb in her mouth, head cuddled into her neck, and eyes just looking about each room Iduna went into.

"Where are your shoes, Maarit?" Noticing her tiny feet were only covered by the stockings. Iduna turned the handle to enter the cooled, dark storage room to grab the cheese Rada wanted. She left the door open behind her to allow the light to flicker along the dark walls and many shelves.

"Ms. Rada has them upstairs." Maarit mumbled with her thumb between her teeth, but Iduna understood from the words she could hear.

"We'll need to get them on you, so you don't hurt your toes or ruin your stockings." Iduna spoke while she crossed the dimly lit space to grab the cheese in the far-left corner; where the room was most cold. With her free arm Iduna reached across the long cupboard built into the wall to grab the plate of cheese covered with a piece of clean linen. Maarit gave a shiver in her arm.

"Cold in here."

"Don't worry, we're leaving." Iduna pressed her cheek onto the top of her blond hair and carried the plate of covered cheese and Maarit out of the room. Iduna skillfully used her foot to pull the wooden door closed since both her arms were occupied. She didn't hear the _click_ of the latch so she must not have pulled hard enough for it to catch.

Rada came through the doorway to enter the kitchens with a pair of small black shoes grasped by the heels. When her eyes fell on Iduna she smiled. "There you are Maarit." Rada began to make her way over to them. "Should have known you would run straight for Iduna." Iduna lightened her hold on the small child when Rada grabbed her under her arms. "Come little one, let's get your shoes on so we can eat breakfast."

With her arm free of holding Maarit's heavying weight on her hip, Iduna reached back to pull the storage door until the latch caught. Rada liked to keep the young ones out of that room in fear of injury. Rada carried Maarit out of the kitchens to the parlor where the rest of the children had gathered. Iduna returned to the dining table to place the cheese platter beside the meat. She could hear Rada talking with the children, but she was too quiet for Iduna to understand what she was saying. She grabbed the pitcher of water from where she placed it and began to fill the cups so Rada wouldn't have too.

Many of the children clobbered into the room with sleepy eyes and sluggish movements. They scrapped the legs of the chairs against the stone floor then climbed into the seats with large yawns and stretched limbs. Iduna finished pouring the drink into the last cup then placed the pitcher out of the way so it wouldn't be knocked over by any of the children; again. Rada came in behind the rest with Maarit's hand clasped within her own. When her large eyes spotted Iduna, she quickly sent her little legs racing towards her. Iduna waiting for Maarit to reach her and grabbed her hand to lead them towards the end of the table where the last two remaining seats were. She lifted the girl into the tall chair then moved to sit in the one next to her; opposite of Rada. Rada took her place at the head of the table.

The far end of the table got their food first. Rada helped the children around her to get a piece of meat or a scoop of eggs if they wanted them. The older kids also helped to get something a smaller one couldn't. The plates were passed down to Iduna's end of the table when they finished. Iduna helped them get what they wanted then once their plates were filled, Iduna gathered what she wanted. Without much thought, the children began to stuff their faces with the juicy meat, warm eggs, or sticky jam. Iduna giggled at a young girl who bit into her bread and jam stuck to her cheeks and fingertips. She grabbed her napkin and wiped her face clean despite the girl's protests. Iduna ate pieces of her food between helping a child cut their meat, between questions, and of course stopping Maarit from getting into her lap.

The children talked with mouths full of food. Their words stifled from cheeks crammed with bread and cheese. Iduna laughed at each of Maarit's silly actions. She made a face out of her food and called him Wade before she ate a piece of him. She pressed her sticky fingers into her cheeks to squish her face and make silly noises. Iduna was able to get her to stop playing around and actually eat her food before it got cold. Maarit stuffed her face full of food and it made Iduna wonder how she was able to chew it all. Maarit worked her legs around her skirts to get herself standing in the chair. She set her bunny next to Iduna's cup and reached across for her own now that she was taller than the table. When she sat, the tables edge came to her chin. Iduna kept her arm ready to reach out for her on the off chance she fell. Maarit swayed her hips as she drank the water from her cup. Her yellow skirts brushing around her legs. Droplets slipping down her chin.

When breakfast came to an end, each of the children gathered their plate ware to be taken into the kitchens to be washed. Rada sent them off to begin their morning chores before they had to attend school and she headed into the kitchen to start cleaning up. Iduna cleared off the jam from Maarit's cheeks then helped her down from the chair; she raced off up the stairs. Iduna shook her head at the hyper child as she began to collect the two plates left on the table to bring to Rada.

"Here are the last of the dishes, Rada."

Rada, with her arms elbow deep in the soapy water, turned her head to look at Iduna. "Thank you, Iduna."

Iduna carefully added them to the pile of plates that were waiting to be washed beside the large bucket. "Do you need help with these?" She reached over to begin helping.

Rada scrubbed the soap around the plate then rinsed it off. "No, I've got it covered in here, but you can gather the laundry and place the basket by the front door if you want to help." Iduna nodded her head.

She walked from the heat of the kitchens to the cooler parlor then up the stairs to the second floor. She carried the basket up the stairs and felt it bounce off her leg. Most of the bedroom doors were open from the children going inside or coming out. Iduna set the woven basket down in the hall and entered the first room to gather the dirty laundry tossed about the floor. The three young boys who shared that room were busy making their beds. With a bundle of clothing in her arms, Iduna left them to finish undisturbed. She dropped the pile of cloth into the basket on her way into the next room.

Her room was the last door on the left. The basket at the other end of the hall was full of clothing, so she decided to leave it there and just grab her clothing to bring to it. Iduna stepped inside and gathered her dirty purple dress Gerda had given her, her nightgown and bloomers, then headed for the door. She back tracked when her eye caught her scarf hanging from the armoire door. She quickly lifted it from the hook then walked from the room. She dropped her things to the pile before she picked the basket up by the handles to carry down the stairs. Iduna moved around the scattered children in the parlor to place the basket by the front door like Rada had told her.

Iduna glanced into the dining room to find Maarit and Philippa, a year older than Maarit and who shared a room with her, wiping down the table with damp cloths. Nicholson, the oldest child besides Iduna, was putting out the candles with the snuffer and pushing the chairs back to the table. Helios, a boy of six and roommates with Nicholson, was using the broom to sweep the crumbs into the pan near his feet.

Rada came into the dining room with a cloth to dry her wet, soapy hands. "Thank you for your help guys." Her smile genuine. Iduna saw the children smile back at her as they finished. "Once you've returned the items back where they go, you can go play until it's time to leave for school." Iduna wasn't sure their smiles could get any wider, but they did.

Maarit and Philippa climbed from their chairs and raced past Rada into the kitchens with their cloths. Nicholson removed his knee from the table, jogged over to the long table placed under the large window to put the snuffer back, and pushed the rest of the chairs to the table before he was gone from the room. Helios was still sweeping up the crumbs from the floor, so he remained behind with both Rada and Iduna. Rada walked up to the fireplace. She placed the damp cloth she held onto the carved mantle before she grabbed the iron poker from the stand on the right of the fireplace.

Helios worked hard to get the last pile of crumbs into the pan before he carefully carried the pan and broom into the kitchen to dumb the dirt and put them back. "Thank you, Helios."

His long, warm brown hair shifted across his forehead when his head turned to Rada. He had a proud smile on his cheeks and his green eyes bright. "You're welcome!" He skipped away.

Iduna laughed at his clumsy pep.

Rada held the poker in both hands as she also watched him leave them alone in the room. She gave Iduna, who stood near the other end of the table, a glance before she went back to tending the fire. "I'll need to remember to go over the floor to get the ones he missed. Don't want rats to find their way inside."

Iduna grabbed Maarit's bunny left on the table. "We wouldn't want that." She tried to brush off the dirt stained to the gray fur, but it was hopeless. It would defiantly have to be washed.

Rada returned the hot poker to the stand once the fire came back to life. "Will you be alright here alone?" Rada began to walk up to her. Running her cloth along the edge of the table. "After I walk the children to the schoolhouse, I have to do laundry, then run errands in the market. I'll be gone until the children are released."

"I'll be fine here on my own, but why not let me do the laundry?" Iduna wondered. "It will lighten the load on you, and it gives me a chance to get outside."

"Are you sure, Iduna?" Rada placed a warm palm in her hair. "I don't want you to do too much with your wrist. The bruises are finally starting to fade."

"Yeah. I want to do it." Iduna let the bunny drape along her side. "It'll be a welcome to get outside. The day looks to be a beautiful one."

Rada clicked her tongue while her fingers ran along the back of her curls that hung loose. "Alright. The laundry can be done near the cliffs. Just head in the direction you see the castle and once you get past the last house, you should find the meadow."

Iduna nodded. "Okay."

"The soap petals are in a small sack hanging just behind the storage door. Everything else should already be down there for you." Rada stepped closer and pulled Iduna's head closer. She placed a kiss to her forehead, something she did at least twice a day. "I better gather the children."

She went around Iduna to head into the parlor. The sound of her shoes clapping against the wood as she got further away echoed off the walls. Iduna watched the House Mother disappear.

Her hand brought Maarit's bunny up from within her skirts to look at it. Maarit hardly went anywhere without the stuffed toy. She carried it around with her as she moved through the house, when she went outside to play or follow Iduna around the farm, and had it cuddled to her chest when she slept. Iduna needed to have the toy washed and dried by the time she returned from school or it would not be a good night at the orphanage.

Iduna could hear the army of feet belonging to the children as they all raced around to grab their school supplies. A group gathered in the parlor near the front door, ready to go and waiting for the rest to join them. Iduna lead against the edge of the table and crossed her arms over her stomach. Maarit's bunny resting on her thigh. Nicholson finished putting his books into the brown leather bag he used. He latched the buckle and swung it onto his shoulders. He gave Iduna a silent wave. She smiled at him and lifted her fingers as a wave back.

A loud thunder of footsteps descended the stairs and the rest of the children entered the parlor. Iduna watched them scramble to get their things together. Maarit came up to her and wrapped her arm around the back of her legs. Her body leaned into her blue skirts. Iduna reached down to squeeze her slender shoulder with a warming smile.

Rada's footsteps came from down the hall beneath the staircase with a green bonnet covering the top of her head; her long raven braid fell down her back to brush the top of the bow to her fresh apron. She carried a large basket on her arm and a leather bag on her shoulder. Her hand was busy moving things around in the basket when she walked into the parlor.

"Alright," she finally looked up to acknowledge everyone in the area, "all accounted for?"

"Yes ma'am." The children all said together in a mass of noise.

Rada flipped the linen back over the opening of the basket. "Let's get going then. Don't want to be late."

Nicholson reached for the iron door handle and pulled to open the door. The cool breeze swept into the room, and Iduna closed her eyes from the familiar feeling of weightlessness. It was short lived before she could actually enjoy it.

"Come along, Maarit." Rada nudged the girl from Iduna's legs, gently pushing her towards the door. Iduna watched the quiet and shy Helios hold his arm out towards Maarit and gripped her tiny hand. He walked out the door with a smile to match her own. "You will probably be done with laundry before I return from the market, so remember the rules when you're here alone. Don't—"

"Don't use the oven, don't bring anyone home with me, and don't answer the door for anyone." Iduna interrupted with a smug smile.

Rada bent over so her nose was level with Iduna's. "And no wandering around while you're out. Laundry then home, please."

Iduna laughed. "Laundry then home, I promise."

"Thank you." Her finger tapped against Iduna's nose then she was headed for the door to catch up with the children. "Oh!" Rada back tracked on her way out the door. "Clothespins. They are by the soap petals."

"Got it."

After wishing a good day, Rada closed the door behind her. Still able to hear the loud chatter of the children beyond it. Iduna rubbed the spot on her nose where Rada tapped her to rid it of the itching. She walked up to the full basket by the door and dropped Maarit's bunny on the top of the pile. Iduna made her way back into the kitchens that were no longer heated by the oven. Iduna swiped a candle from the table on her way into the storage room. The flickering flame heated her cheek as she held it close to allow herself to see. She swung her body around the back of the door to pull the small sack of soap from the hook. She found the bag of clothespins on the floor behind the door. Iduna stuffed the soap into the bag and pulled to drape the strap across her chest.

The door latched behind her on her way back to the kitchens. She blew out the candle in her hand then the others along her way out to the parlor. She quickly glanced around but found no more lit candles, just the dying embers of the two fireplaces. Iduna grabbed the basket from the floor to rest it on her hip then she opened the front door. Her skirts rustled around her legs the moment she stepped out into the cloudless sky of blue. She pulled the door closed on her way down the steps and moved the basket to carry in both hands.

Iduna followed the directions Rada had given her. She walked along the dirt path leading into the smaller portion of the village. Iduna had learned over her week in Arendelle that the Kingdom as a whole was called Arendelle and each village within the borders was given a separate name. The village just outside the gates was called Arendal. Where she now called home.

Iduna felt her spirit rise at the warmth of the sunlight and the fresh breeze. She had spent most of her time inside the orphanage helping around when she could. There were times when she would get outside, but only to help care for the farm animals, tend to the vegetable garden, or help the little ones pick flowers from the garden in the front. She never went beyond the grounds of the orphanage by herself, until now.

The dirt path her feet traveled quickly turned to cobble stone. She passed by a number of smaller house and nodded her head in acknowledgement when the people walked from the door with a wave. She gave a warm greeting in return when she received one from others. When the harbor came closer, she heard a bell ring somewhere off in the distance. She smelled the salty breeze blowing off the surface of the fjord. The large ships tied to the docks jolted along in the water, which made the slightest creaking sound of the wood boards. Iduna adjusted her grip on the basket as she climbed the slight inclined slope.

Not long after she passed the last of the homes, she came upon the large meadow that went as far to the wall built on the cliffs edge. Iduna found the space where this side of the village did laundry. Wooden, short standing basins were scattered about in the grass. Poles with strings attached to another were lined near each basin. Iduna made her way to the closest one and began to process of getting the tub ready. She removed the bag of clothespins and soap from across her chest to lean against the wood. She made her way over to the water pump with a bucket.

It took her several minutes to pour the water from the bucket to the basin; especially with her wrist. Iduna added a handful of the soap petals to the basin before adding the rest of the water. With each additional pour the soap mixed around and started to create bubbles. Iduna added the last bucket of water, the tenth, before she started to add the clothes. She whipped out each item then tossed them into the soaping water. Her fingers gripped Maarit's bunny and ran over the fur before she tossed it in with the others. Iduna looked through the basket one last time for any other colored clothing but found nothing but whites. She moved the basket away from the basin and found her scarf in the grass. It must have fallen out when she was grabbing things out of the basket. She bent down and lifted it from the grass.

Iduna ran her hand over the burgundy fabric that had dots of mud dried in various spots. Her thumb graced over one of the many stitched snowflakes along the bottom. She found the four elemental symbols in the four corners.

"_We are guided, protected, by the most pure and powerful spirits of all, Iduna." Her mother spoke as she wrapped the freshly made scarf around her tiny four-year-old shoulders. "It is said the spirits guide our destinies. They show us the true power of nature and the truth within ourselves."_

_Iduna lifted some of the purple fringe in her palm. "Wow. They know all that?"_

_Her mother nodded her head. "They do. When we are born our destiny is written in the stars, and if we ever feel lost or unsure, the spirits will then guide you to the answers you seek."_

Iduna inhaled a deep breath. Her eyes lifted from the symbols to the soapy water, willing the memory away.

"What's the point of having the spirits know your destiny if they are no longer around to help guide you in the right direction?" Iduna asked no one but herself. _'Guess I'll never know the answer.'_ She though, her scarf tossed into the basin.

Iduna slipped her shoes off by the heels, gathered her skirts in her hands, and climbed into the basin. Iduna kept her dress hiked up and out of the water. Her stockings soaked up water to the middle of her shins. With a clouded mind, Iduna moved her feet one after the other to press the clothing around in the water; creating a scrubbing effect to remove any dirt.

'_At least being out in the fresh spring air with the breeze will keep your spirit up and your mind off darkening things. No use worrying over things you can't control. Just focus on your chore and enjoy your time with nature.'_

And that is what Iduna did.

She finished washing the darker clothing first. She pulled the cork from the bottom of the basin to allow the dirty water to drain out. She grabbed the bag of clothespins to place across her chest again. She pinned each wet item of clothing to the line so the breeze could work its way through to dry them. She repeated the process with the whites. She had more white clothing to wash than she did of the different colored cotton and wool. So, it took her a bit longer to wash.

Iduna pinned the last linen shirt to the line, she was finally finished with the laundry and it wasn't even noon yet. All she had to do was let the clothing dry, then fold it and bring it back to the house, but what should she do until then? Part of Iduna felt she should go back to the orphanage while she waited and re-read a book from Rada's small collection, but there was another part of her that wanted to stay outside in the grass; with the breeze and the smell of saltwater. Rada did tell her to do laundry then return home. Iduna looked at the clothing line with whipping garments of soaked fabric. Technically, the laundry wasn't done so Iduna could stay out until it was dry and ready to fold. After being convinced by herself, Iduna dropped the bag of clothespins next to the basket.

She swiped her shoes from the ground, hopping around trying to put them back on. Her stockings wet within her shoes, but Iduna didn't care much as she walked down through the meadow of blooming crocus flowers; getting closer to the village again. A large majority of them were purple, a color of Arendelle's royal family, but she also found a few white and yellow. The grass in the meadow was the darkest of green dancing around her. Her feet carried her further from the laundry, the grass tickling the palm of her hands. She picked a few of the flowers along the way, once she had a handful, she sat in the grass to begin weaving them into a crown with blades of grass.

Iduna spent long moments humming to herself, weaving the flowers with the grass to create a crown big enough for her head; to fit over her thick curls. When she finally finished tying the purple and white flowers together, Iduna placed it over her head. Resting on her hairline and rounding below her blue ribbon. She brushed the loose blades of grass from her lap. Her arms stretched out like a bird against the grass when she went to rest on her back. Iduna closed her eyes from the bright sunlight above her. Protecting her eyes. She relaxed in the gentle current of the wind that whistled through the grass tickling her ears.

But then, Iduna heard something else carried past her ears. She pushed herself up to rest against her elbows to get a look around her, but she found herself alone in the large open space. Her eyes scanned around as far as she could to find the source of the pained sound, but she came up empty. From her spot in the meadow she could still see the laundry basins to her left; closer to the mountainside. Iduna realized the sorrow cry was coming from her right where the fjord entered the Arendelle Harbor. Iduna pulled her skirts into her lap to keep them free of her legs while she got to her feet. She winced from the pressure applied to her injured wrist on her way up. She cradled it to her chest on her way down the meadow to find the source.

Iduna, after getting her skirts pulled by sticks and twisting around her legs from having to lift them in high steps through the grass, bent down to grab a handful of the hemline to her dress. With a frustrated sigh and a wish to be in pants again, she tucked the seam into the waistband of her bloomers with decorative print in darker blue. Her legs a bit freer, she continued her walk through the meadow. She came to the entrance of a large garden where the sound was a bit louder. Iduna could recognize that it was someone sniveling. Without a thought of turning back to give them their personal peace, Iduna stepped further into the lush and colorful garden.

Several paths carved through the trimmed grass made of multicolored stones. Shrubs lined along both sides of the paths. Flowers, so many flowers, bloomed around her and filled the air with wonderful smells. But what truly made Iduna look around in wonderment were the willow trees all around. Their branches hanging low, some touching the ground, others so thick they blocked the sunlight. Iduna reached her hand out to allow the soft and gentle branches to run along her palm.

The sound of a broken sob knocked her from her trance and pushed her to find the source. She continued to follow the path and came upon a wooden structure carved beautifully and covered with blooming vines. Tall shrubbery created a wall on either side, indicating the archway was the only way in and out. Iduna knew the person crying was beyond it.

She hesitated though.

'_Don't you think they want to be left alone? I mean look at where they are, Iduna. Alone in a secluded place. Don't you think if they wanted company, they would be somewhere else?'_ Iduna looked to the ground. _'But nobody truly wants to be alone when they are upset. I know I don't. I've had Rada when I would break down in the middle of the night, maybe they don't have someone to go to.'_

Iduna played with her fingers and bit her lip before forcing her feet through the archway. Who she found alone, sniffling in the garden, was not who she expected. The shock focused her eyes only on them and not the beautiful open space they occupied. Iduna stood before the archway looking upon Agnarr.

Agnarr's body was curled up in the grass. The large willow tree stood tall behind him, branches hung down around him, creating shade over the patch of ground. His knees pushed the beige coat into his chest with his arms wrapped tightly around them; holding them in place. His shoulders were slumped, and his back arched over to allow his forehead to be pressed against the top of his knees. His position kept Agnarr from noticing he was no longer alone in the beautiful, vibrant garden. Iduna wondered why he chose to coil in the grass when there was a swing hooked onto the willow tree behind him. She watched his shoulders shake from his painful wailing. Agnarr sounded like he was in true pain and had no other way of dealing with it; except to release cracking wails.

Iduna, with her heart aching from the sight, started to move closer to the emotional King. She parted the branches and spoke with uncertainty. "Your Majesty?"

Agnarr jumped from his position at the sound of her voice near him. His arms loosened from around his legs. His head popped up from his knees. Iduna watched him fiercely rub his hands over his red, tear stained cheeks and puffy eyes. "What—Who's—Who is it?" Once his hands fell from his face, Agnarr looked up in her direction. "Iduna?"

She jerked a little at the sound of her name off his lips. "Hi." She spoke softly, giving him a lame wave.

"What are you doing here, Iduna?" He asked in a broken voice. Tears still falling from his confused eyes.

"I, um, I didn't mean to intrude upon you, Your Majesty, I was passing time in the meadow until the laundry finished drying and that's when I heard the sounds of someone upset." Iduna stammered with her words. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean, I just came…are you okay, Your Majesty?"

Agnarr wiped his face off again but used the sleeve of his coat instead of his palm this time. "No, no, it's not your fault. If I really wanted to be uninterrupted, then picking an open garden where anyone can happen upon me wasn't a brilliant idea."

Iduna gave a sharp exhale that was meant to be a chuckle. "Probably not."

"I thought you were a council member," Agnarr stretched one of his legs out and clasped his hands around the leg still bent, "but I'm glad it's you instead. Last thing I need is to give them any more reasons that I'm unfit to do this job." His voice fell into a mutter and Iduna had to wonder if he meant to say that out loud. "But you don't need to worry, Iduna, I'm perfectly fine, thanks."

Iduna watched his fingers pick at a loose thread in his black pants to try and keep his focus from looking to her. She was blocked from seeing the truth in his eyes. She stood there trying to figure out why he was lying. She could see the pain in his body language, so why was he, the same man who held her while she sobbed over the death of her mother, decided to hide his feeling from her? Someone who would understand. With a deep breath, Iduna walked into the enclosure of the willow to get closer to him. Her fists bounced off her thighs as she willed herself to gain courage. She quickly, so she couldn't second guess herself, lowered down to sit next to the King dressed in brighter colors; rather than the black she had seen last time. Her hair trickled over her shoulder from the tilt of her head.

"You're not very good at hiding your lies, Your Majesty."

His head shot up in her direction to his right. His brows lowered in offense. "I'll have you know, I'm a decent liar when needed. One time, when I was eleven, I had snuck a bottle of wine from the cellar and drank the whole thing while hiding in a vacant room. I ended up very drunk and had to lie my way through the day just so my father didn't notice."

Iduna straightened her shoulders with a laugh. "That may be so, Your Grace…except when you're upset."

His mouth opened to speak, then it snapped closed while he made faces to match his thoughts. Agnarr turned his head back to stare at the loose piece of thread in his trousers. "Is it that obvious?" He gave her a sideways glance.

Iduna crossed her legs and tucked her hands into her lap. "Your puffy eyes and runny nose are a big give away." His shoulders sagged as his head fell.

"I guess you're right." The length of his hand ran under his nose to catch the falling snot. "Another thing I have to work on."

Iduna reached her arm out so her hand could grip his elbow. She gave a slight squeeze. "Somethings troubling your mind. Want to share what that is?"

Agnarr didn't reply. He simply used his hair to hide his face from view. A wall between them.

Iduna straightened her body to allow herself to look around the space of the garden that was secluded from the rest. There was a pond to her right with a small water flow over a tower of rocks. Plants graced the surface of the rippling water. Rocks lined the edge with small shrubs and flowers. Another large tree was planted near the willow that had thicker branches reaching past the stone wall behind them. Iduna found two stone benches scattered in the garden. A birdbath rested in the very center across from the willow; free from the reach of its branches.

"I know you may not know me well, Your Majesty, or begin to even trust me, but sometimes an acquaintance can be the best person to open up to." Iduna saw his head move from the corner of her eye. "Having that true ear and pure advice from someone outside of the situation is one of the greatest reliefs to oneself."

Agnarr gave a deep sorrow breath of air from his chest. "Today's the anniversary of my birth and also my coming of age celebration."

Iduna was surprised to hear what he just said. "Today's your birthday?" Agnarr gave her a single nod. "Happy anniversary with life, Your Grace."

"Much appreciated, Iduna, but I don't really want to celebrate it or even acknowledge it."

Iduna grew confused. "Why is that?" Agnarr remained silent.

Iduna's mind raced with every possible reason someone wouldn't want it to be their birthday. Iduna was always excited for hers. Her mother would always wake her up to a small baked cake with traditional blackberries. They would spend the day together doing whatever Iduna wanted. Most of the things she wanted to do were involving the spirits. The Wind Spirit would help bring them flowers to weave into flower crowns for each other. The Water Spirit would help soak the other during their battle in the river. Her favorite part of her birthday though was when her people would gather together in a great feast and spend the night dancing around a fire from the help of the Fire Spirit.

'_What could keep the King from enjoying his own birth into the world?'_

Iduna studied Agnarr for a few moments. His eyes, although pointed to the ground, were still puffy from the tears that finally stopped. His cheeks bright red. Iduna recalled he had been crying when she found him. His lashes were still wet and clumped together. She thought of everything that could make someone cry the way he had been. That's when it hit her. She knew why.

"It's because of your father, isn't it?" The way his eyes snapped in her direction and how large they got, Iduna knew she was right. "You want him here to be with you."

"I know that sounds pathetic!" Iduna had to lean out of the way when his arms shot out to emphasize his point. "Sitting here crying like a young child because I want my father."

Iduna moved herself back once his arms lowered back to his lap. "I don't think that's pathetic at all, Your Majesty. Every child wants their parent there for their special day."

"It's more than just my birthday, Iduna, today's also my coming of age ceremony. Everyone has been running around the castle trying to get things ready for this evening."

Iduna lowered her brows. "What is that?"

"It's a grand celebration held for the heir apparent when they turn fifteen." He continued when her face twisted in more confusion. "Meaning, the first in line for the throne cannot be displaced. Once I am Crowned Prince of Arendelle I am assured the throne."

"But I thought you were already King of Arendelle."

Agnarr chuckled. "Since my father passed, I was automatically titled King, but I cannot be coronated Arendelle's official King until I have been named Crowned Prince and I turn of age to rule on my own. Which is between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one. I have the statues but not all of the responsibility."

"So,"

"Crowned Prince of Arendelle first then when I am of age, I will be crowned King of Arendelle officially."

"Your kingdom has a lot of strange rules." Iduna announced with a smile of uncertainty.

Agnarr brushed his hair off his forehead. "A lot of rules but never any consideration for what other's wish."

"What do you mean by that?"

"The council wants my aunt to perform the ceremony."

Iduna reached out to brush a piece of grass itching against her forehead. "And that's not what you want?"

"She's a complete stranger to me, Iduna. The last time I ever saw this woman was when I was still in diapers. She's been trying to get to know me since she arrived a few days ago, but still that's not enough for me to be okay with her crowning me." Agnarr's voice took a harsh tone. His fingers curled into the fabric of his black wool pants. "The council don't seem to understand how I feel about it. How I don't want anyone but,"

Iduna suddenly caught on to what was upsetting the King so much about his birthday. When he didn't finish his sentence, Iduna decided to be the one who voiced his intended target of frustration. "How you don't want anyone but your father to make you Crowned Prince."

Agnarr's head fell into his hands. "Is that wrong of me? To be angry that he died before he got the chance?"

Iduna, without much clear thought, reached over to pull his hand away from his face. Her smaller hand barely contained hold of his, but she did her best anyway. "No. You have every right to be angry that your father is gone. But," his head looked to her once again, "it's selfish to use that anger at those who don't deserve it."

"I'm not angry at anyone, Iduna, I just wish that people would listen a bit more."

Iduna felt his hand slip from her fingers as he heaved himself up from the grass. "We all have things we wish for, Your Majesty, but life doesn't always give us what we want. My mother used to tell me that our destiny was set and stone. And the things that happen in our life are the steppingstones that lead us there."

Agnarr pushed aside the branches of the willow tree to walk from the canopy. "I don't really believe in destiny. I was always taught that your fate was yours to change. Right now, I just want something I can control without other's having a say."

Iduna quickly scrambled herself from the ground to catchup with the King. She worked her mind to come up with a way to make him feel better, but all her ideas avoided her. She reached out to part the branches to walk through but stopped in her tracks. She didn't know what else there was to help him. With a heavy sigh, Iduna ran her palm down the tickling leaves and breathed in the breeze that made the branches extend. Like they wanted to reach out and grab Agnarr. Iduna watched him pull fallen leaves out of the birdbath, an arm placed at the base of his spine, and his back to her.

'_I just want something I can control without other's having a say.'_ She repeated his words in her head. Iduna lowered her brows and looked back to the branches trapped in her palm.

"_Iduna, come down from there a moment, I want to show you something." Her father called up to her from the ground._

"_Coming!" Iduna swung her five-year-old body from the tree branch she dangled from back to the ground. Her legs carried her to her parents a few paces away. "What is it, papa?" Her father knelt down to her level and opened his palm to show her a long piece of purple ribbon. "A ribbon?"_

_Her father laughed. "No, it's what I want you to do with the ribbon. He gripped her shoulder to turn her back to the large tree. "This is the oldest tree in the forest, Iduna, it is said to have magical properties. Do you see all the ribbons up there?"_

_Iduna tilted her head up to see the colorful ribbons blowing around. "Yes."_

"_I want you to climb up as high as you can with this ribbon. Once you get to a branch, tie the ribbon around it and make a wish." Her father explained and held the ribbon before her._

"_Why?" Iduna looked up at him._

"_People come here to make a wish in hopes of it coming true. Some take a few days others take years, but if their wish comes true, they come back to the tree, untie their ribbon and say thank you." He explained to her. Her smile wide. "Now, I want you to make a wish."_

Iduna looked back to the King once the memory faded. She was unsure why that came into her mind at first, but then she thought it was her father's memory offering her a way to make Agnarr feel better. "Your Majesty?"

"Yes?" Agnarr turned his upper body back to her.

"I have something for you." She motioned him to come to her.

He cocked a brow. "Iduna, I don't really,"

"Just, trust me." Iduna waited for him to walk back to her. Once he was standing near her, Iduna reached behind her head and untied her ribbon from her braids. She held it out to him in her palm.

"Um, your hair ribbon?" He looked at her with an utterly confused face.

"When I was a child, before my father died, he took me to the oldest tree in our village. People believed it had the power to grant their wishes. They would tie a ribbon around a branch, make a wish, and if their wish came true, they would return to take back their ribbon and say thank you."

Agnarr grabbed the ribbon from her palm and looked to the willow tree with uncertainty. "Is that what you want me to do with your hair ribbon?"

Iduna laughed and turned red from embarrassment. "I know, it sounds silly, but I thought giving you this gift would allow you to have control of your own birthday wish."

Agnarr looked at her with a surprised expression, but he didn't say anything. He looked from her to the ribbon then to the tree they stood under. She bit her lip from the anxiety building up of the silence. She begged to know what he was thinking. When he moved to grab a branch in his hand, Iduna gasped. She hadn't thought he would actually except her gift. He wrapped the ribbon around the branch and closed his eyes as he tightened it until it was secure. His eyes opened again then stepped back from the tree to watch the ribbon blow with the branches in the wind.

"If my wish comes true, I come back to untie it and thank the tree?"

Iduna could only nod her head.

"What do I do with the ribbon after?" He asked once he looked at her again.

"You keep it, as a reminder that sometimes our greatest wishes do come true."

Agnarr surprised her again when he stepped up to her and grabbed her hand within his own. Her breath hitched in her throat as he looked at her with his green eyes; no longer red but brightened with joy. "Thank you, Iduna. You've given me a gift unlike any other. Freedom, to have a choice of my own." He squeezed her fingers in his palm before he let go.

"It was just a silly thing my father told me. It is nothing special, Your Majesty."

He shook his head. "It's not silly. It is a gift and I'll forever treasure it."

Iduna felt her cheeks burn beneath her skin as he smiled down at her. Her stomach felt tingly, like it had butterflies flapping around. Her legs suddenly felt lighter. Iduna took a step back and nervously brushed hair behind her ear. "I better go check on the laundry and get back to the orphanage. I don't want Rada to worry if she is back before I am." Iduna gave a clumsy curtsy. "I'll see you around, Your Majesty. Happy birthday, again." Iduna kept her head low and started to head out of the garden.

"Iduna." Agnarr called after her. "It's Agnarr and thank you." Iduna turned only her head and smiled back at him. "That act of kindness you wanted to repay me, consider it fulfilled. You've helped me more today than you think. I'll not forget it."

Iduna's smile widened and she gave him a wave. "I'm glad I could help…Agnarr." She didn't wait for him to say or do anything else, she raced her legs to get her back to the laundry. The beat of her heart still fast and unsteady.


End file.
